Pray  For  The  Kingdom,! 


OR,    THOUGHTS    ON 


THY  KINGDOM  GOME." 


BY 


REV.  JOHN  S.  McCLUNG. 


Tray  For  the  Peace  of  Jerusalem."— Fs.  122:  6. 


BV 

210 

.M12 

1895 


PRESS  OF  THE  MIRROR, 
WICHITA,   KANSAS. 


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Fray  For  The  Kingdom, 


OR,    TPIOUGHTS    ON 


THY  KINGDOM  GOME." 


BY 

REV.  JOHN  S.  McCLUNG, 
Wichita,  Kansas. 


Tray  For  the  Feace  of  JeruDalem." — Fs.  122:  6. 


PRESS  OF  THE  MIRROR, 

W3 CHITA,   KANSAS. 

1895. 


COPYRTOTTTUD 
BY 

John  S.  McClung, 
1895. 


Single  copies  sent  postage  paid,  25  cents.    Five  copies  sei 
postpaid  to  one  address,  $1,00.     When  pastors,  or  others,  ord 
twenty  or  more  copies  sent  in  one  package,  they  to  pay  carria- 
15  cents  each.    The  cash  must  accompany  all  orders.    Usual  ra 
to  dealers.     Write  names  and  directions  plainly.    Address,  l< 
J.  S.  McClung,  Wichita,  Kansas, 


CONTENTS. 


Chapter  i. 
The  D3peaclence  of  the  Gospel  for  Success  on 
Prayer. 

Chaptp:r  ti. 
Bible  Exhortations  to  Constancy  In  Prayer. 

Chapter  hi. 
All  Christians  Should  Learn  to  Pray. 

Chapter  iv. 
Conditions  of  Successful  Pra3^er. 

Chapter  v. 
What  Prayer  Can  Accomplish. 

Chapter  vi. 
Further  Illustrations  of  the  Results  of  Prayer. 

Chapter  vii. 
For  What  Shall  We  Pray? 

Chapter  viii. 
For  What  Shall  We  Pray?— Continued. 

Chapter  ix. 
Personal  Responsibility. 

Chapter  x. 
Obstacles  in  the  Way. 

Chapter  xi. 
Young-  People's  Societies  and  the  Coming-  of 
the  King-dom. 

ChAP'^^ER  XII. 

Will  You  Not  Pray  for  the  Kino-dom? 


the  king-dom  than  at  the  family  altar.  There 
is  something-  so  beautiful,  so  touching-,  in  the 
entire  circle  joining-  in  fervent  pra3'er  for  the 
spread  of  the  g-Q.  ^jl  and  for  the  salvation  of 
the  perishing-.  But  alas!  this  is  asigfht  too  sel- 
dom witnessed  in  these  latter  days.  In  so  many 
Christian  homes  the  family  altar  has  been 
broken  down;  in  so  man}'  others  it  was  never 
erected.  How  much  better  and  deeper  the  re- 
lig-ious  influence  upon  all  connected  with  the 
family  when  the  incense  of  morning  and  even- 
ing- pra3^er  ascends  in  the  home.  Here  is  some- 
thing- that  demands  the  utmost  dilig-ence  of 
pastors. 

Before  parting-  with  my  readers  I  desire 
to  make  two  requests.  One  is,  that  they  may 
overlook  the  literary  and  other  defects  of  this 
little  volume.  The  other,  that  all  who  read  it 
may  earnestly  pray  that  the  Lord  may  bless 
the  reading-  of  these  pag-es  to  stimulating-  His 
people  to  greater  prayerfulness  and  to  g-reater 
activity  in  the  service  of  Christ. 

John  S.  McCi^ung. 
Wichita,  Kansas, 
Aug:ust  6,  1895. 


PRAY  FOR  THE   KINGDOM. 


CHAPTER  1. 

The:  Dkpkndence  of   thk  Gospel  for  Suc- 
cess ON  Prayer. 

"Thy  Kingdom   Come." 

T^HE  form  of  prayer  which  our  Lord,  taught 
■*■  his  disciples  has  been  universally  admired ; 
so  beautiful,  so  brief,  yet  so  comprehensive. 
It  g^ives  utterance  to  all  the  needs  of  humanity; 
while  it  embraces  all  that  pertains  to  the 
king-dom  of  God.  And  it  should  never  be 
forg-otten  that  the  first  petition  in  this  sum- 
mary is  prayer  for  the  king-dom;  teaching-  by 
implication  that  our  first  and  most  important 
praj^ers  should  be  for  the  prosperity  of  Zion. 
Hence  if  we  follow  the  instructions  of  the  dear 
Master,  we  will  plead  first  and  above  all  for 
the  building-  up  of  his  king-dom. 

But  this  is  not  the  way  we  usually  do;  we 
are  apt  to  ask  for  almost  everj^thing  else,  then 
we  may,   in  a  few   sentences,  pray  for  "The 


8 

peace  of  Jerusalem."  In  so  many  public 
prayers,  at  least,  intercession  for  the  success 
of  the  Lord's  work  is  left  away  in  the  back- 
ground. It  has  been  remarked  that  some  of 
the  most  noted  preachers  of  our  land  in  their 
public  praj^ers  do  not  m.ention  sacred  or  relig- 
ious interests,  outside  of  those  of  their  own 
churches.  Often,  too,  in  prayer  meetings  the 
petitions  do  not  take  a  much  wider  range.  But 
this  is  not  as  it  should  be.  We  should  feel  the 
deepest  concern  for  the  welfare  of  the  Redeem- 
er's kingdom  in  all  the  earth.  Our  interest  in 
His  cause  should  not  be  limited  by  the  narrow 
boundaries  of  our  church  community,  but  our 
hearts  should  go  out  toward  "the  regions  be- 
3^ond."  This  we  must  do  if  we  tenderly  remem- 
ber and  faithfully  obey  the  command  of  our 
Saviour. 

And  the  object  of  these  pages  is  to  try  and 
stir  up  God's  people  to  greater  prayerf ulness  in 
behalf  of  Zion.  I  want  to  influence  His  people, 
as  far  as  in  me  lies,  to  plead  importunately,  to 
wrestle  mJghtily  with  the  God  of  Jacob  for  the 
advancement  of  his  kingdom.  May  His  divine 
blessing  abundantly  rest  upon  the  effort. 


And  at  the  very  beg-iiiniiig-  of  this  little 
book,  in  which  Christians  are  so  earnestly 
entreated  to  g-ive  themselves  unto  prayer,  it 
will  be  well  to  notice  an  inference  that  may 
be  drawn.  Persons  mig-ht  suppose  the  author 
considered  that  prayer  was  everything-;  that  it 
was  all  that  is  necessary  to  advance  the  king-- 
dom  of  God.  But  he  bag's  leave  to  assure  his 
readers  that  this  treatise  is  not  built  upon  one 
idea;  but  that  while  the  attention  is  turned  to 
one  great  means  of  advancing-  the  king-dom, 
st^i  other  ag-encies  are  by  no  means  over- 
looked. The  cause  of  Christ  cannot  be  built 
up  without  active  effort.  The  g'ospel  must  be 
preached;  the  word  of  life  must  be  g^iven  to 
dying-  men.  Without  this,  prayer  is  in  vain. 
Just  so,  we  cannot  content  ourselves  by  prav- 
ing-  without  giving- of  our  means,  without  mak- 
ing- sacrifices  for  our  holy  religion.  Praying 
without  paying  will  not  convert  the  world. 
These  means  of  grace  are  all  necessary;  ihej 
must  be  employed  to  accomplish  the  Lord's 
Vv'ork. 

But  this  book  is  based  on  the  assumption 
that  at  this  age  of  the  church,  prayer  is  not 


10 

keeping-  pace  with  the  other  ag-encies  em- 
ployed; is  not  offered  in  due  proportion. 
Hence  so  many  efforts  are  without  avail;  the 
power  is  lacking-,  so  that  there  are  not  the 
results  there  should  be  from  the  ag-encies 
used.  More  prayer  is  needed  to  secure  divine 
efficiency  and  g-rander  results.  And  one  rea- 
son, no  doubt,  why  more  prayer  is  not  offered 
is  because  the  connections  between  it  and  the 
coming-  of  the  king-dom  is  not  fully  understood. 
The  importance,  the  absolute  necessity  of 
prayer  is  not  realized.  Christians  in  g-en^al 
appear  to  think  that  it  is  well  to  pray  for  the 
success  of  the  g-ospel;  that  this  sacred  duty 
should  not  be  neglected;  yet  few  seem  to  com- 
prehend the  fact  that  wc  cantlot  expect  any 
g-racious  results  without  prayer. 

But  this  is  the  case,  for  the  gospel,  of 
itself,  is  powerless;  the  truth  of  itself  cannot 
chang-e  the  hearts  and  lives  of  men.  It  makes 
no  difference  how  earnestly  the  g-ospel  may  be 
preached,  how  forcibly  the  truth  may  be  pre- 
sented, this  alone  cannot  bring-  men  into  the 
king-dom.  "Not  by  mig-ht,  nor  by  power,  but 
by    my    Spirit,  saith    the    Lord    of    Hosts.'* 


11 

"Without  mc  3'e  can  do  nothing*."  The  word 
needs  to  be  accompanied,  as  at  Pentecost,  b\^ 
the  power  of  the  Hoh^  Ghost;  as  at  Corinth, 
"In  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and  of  power," 
or  as  at  Thessolonica,  "Our  g-ospel  came  not 
unto  jou  in  word  onl}^,  but  also  in  power 
and  in  the  Hoh'  Ghost."  And  when  the  divine 
Spirit  accompanies  the  word,  producing-  con- 
viction and  conversion,  it  is  in  answer  to 
pra^-er.  He  does  not  come  unbidden,  unsoug-ht. 
He  does  not  visit  churches  and  communities  in 
saving-  power  without  being-  entreated.  The 
Father  bestows  his  Spirit  upon  those  "who  ask 
him."  When  the  Holy  Spirit  descends,  bring- 
ing the  blessing-s  of  salvation,  we  may  not 
know  who,  but  some  have  been  praying-.  It  is 
true  that  the  Lord  loves  the  souls  of  men; 
loved  them  so  as  to  provide  a  most  costly  re- 
demption, and  now  his  g-reat,  compassionate 
heart  yearns  to  save.  Yet  for  all  this  he  "will 
be  inquired  of  by  the  house  of  Israel,  to  do  it 
for  them."  "Ask  and  ye  shall  receive,  seek 
and  ye  shall  find;"  these  are  the  only  condi- 
tions on  which  success  is  promised. 

Of  course  we  must  not  overlook  nor  under- 


12 

value  the  intercession  of  our  great  Hig"!!  Priest, 
still  if  prayer  is  not  offered  we  have  no  reason 
to  expect  the  cause  of  Christ  to  make  any 
advance,  or  that  sinners  will  bebroug-ht  to  the 
Saviour.  It  is  like  this:  There  may  be  a  loco- 
motive, complete  in  all  its  parts,  still  that  per- 
fect machine  can  accomplish  nothing-  till  steam 
g-ives  it  pov/er.  So  in  the  Lord's  v/ork  the 
most  earnest  efforts  may  be  put  forth,  yet 
there  may  be  no  results,  because  the  power  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  which  comes  in  answer  to 
prayer,  is  lacking-.  Hence  if  earnest  cries  do 
not  ascend  to  Israel's  God,  if  there  are  no 
earnest  wrestling-s,  the  most  faith fitl  w^ork  can- 
not be  expected  to  produce  any  results. 

Turn  to  Paul's  epistles  and  see  hov/  he 
implores  Christians  to  pray  for  him.  "Breth- 
ren, pray  for  us."  "Praying-  always,  with  all 
prayer  and  supplications  in  the  Spirit ....  and 
for  me."  "Finally,  brethren,  pray  for  us,  that 
the  word  of  the  Lord  may  have  free  course  and 
be  g-loriiied."  With  such  burning-  words  as 
these,  he  entreated  the  prayers  of  others  on  his 
behalf.  He  seemed  assured  that  he  could  be 
successful    in    his    work   only  in   answer   to 


13 

pra3^er.  And  if  he,  the  g^reat  inspired  apostle, 
was  thus  dependent  for  results  on  the  prayers 
of  others,  how  much  more  are  the  Lord's  ser- 
vants now  dependent  for  success  on  the  prayers 
of  others  in  their  behalf. 

Here,  doubtless,  is  the  reason  why  there 
is  such  a  wide  difference  in  the  success  of  the 
same  minister  in  different  fields  of  labor.  At 
times  a  man  has  had  remarka.ble  success;  there 
is  almost  a  constant  revival,  and  all  the  lines 
of  church  work  move  on  splendidly.  On  the 
strength  of  his  reputation  he  is  called  to 
another  charg-e.  But  how  are  the  mig-hty 
fallen!  Here  his  labors  are  fruitless  and  he 
utterly  fails.  Often  the  true  explanation,  no 
doubt  is,  one  w^as  a  prayerful  people,  while 
the  other  was  not.  Would  that  it  could  be 
impressed  upon  Christians — burnt  into  them, 
that  the  prosperity  of  Zion  depends  on  the 
prayers  offered  in  her  behalf.  For  then  far 
more  of  those  who  really  regard  her  welfare 
would  be  almost  chained  to  their  knees  in 
earnest,  wrestling  prayer  for  her  at  the  throne 
of  grace. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Bible     Exhortations     to    Constancy     in 
Prayer. 

A  S  these  pag-es  will  be  occupied  so  larg-cly 
-**■  in  urg-ing-  Christians  to  constancy  in 
prayer,  it  will  be  well  to  show  Scripture 
authority  for  this.  To  most  people  this 
mig-ht  seem  unnecessary,  but  this  is  a  strang-e 
world,  and  there  are  some  who  seem  to  be 
afraid  of  people  being-  too  prayerful.  The}^  do 
not  deem  it  wise  to  press  the  matter  of  devot- 
ing- a  g-ood  portion  of  the  time  to  prayer. 
Relig-ious  newspapers  have  refused  to  publish 
articles  that  exhorted  to  g-reater  devotion  in 
prayer,  yet  their  columns  were  open  to  almost 
any  other  contributions  from  the  same  pen. 
But  it  is  easy  to  show  that  there  is  not  much 
dang-er  of  g'oing-  beyond  the  exhortations  and 
the  examples  of  the  word. 

Our  Saviour  spoke  a  parable  "To  this 
end,  that  men  oug-ht  always  to  pray  and  not 
to  faint."  If  we  follow  the  example  of  the 
poor  widow  who  is  here  commended  we  will 


15 

come  with  importunit}-  before  the  Lord.  If 
our  petitions  are  not  g-r anted  at  once,  we  will 
press  our  suit.  We  also  have  the  example  of 
the  Man  of  sorrows  himself.  When  upon  earth 
he  spent  much  of  his  time  in  prayer.  We  are 
told  how  he  often  retired  alone  to  pray;  some- 
times rising-  a  great  while  before  day,  or  g"oing- 
out  into  a  mountain  and  continuing-  "all  nig-ht 
in  prayer  unto  God."  The  old  patriarch 
wrestled  the  whole  night,  till  the  breaking-  of 
the  da}^  and  still  refused  to  let  go  without 
the  blessing-.  The  Psalmist  declares.  "Even- 
ing-, morning-,  and  at  noon  will  I  pray  and  cry 
aloud."  "At  midnight  will  I  arise  and  g-ive 
thanks  unto  thee  because  of  thy  rig-hteous 
judg-ments."  "But  I  g-ive  myself  unto  prayer'' 
There,  too  was  "Anna,  a  prophetess,"  that 
honored  handmaid  of  the  Lord,  she  "departed 
not  from  the  temple,  but  served  God  with  fast- 
ings and  prayers  nig-ht  and  day."  When 
Herod  cast  Peter  into  prison,  "Praj^er  was 
made  without  ceasing-  of  the  church  unto  God 
for  him."  Then  when  we  g-et  over  to  Paul's 
epistles  he  commands  in  the  most  unmistak- 
able  lang-uage   to   give   ourselves   to  prayer. 


16 

As  "Pray  without  ceasing-,"  "Continuing-  in- 
stant in  prayer,"  "Praying-  always,  with  all 
prayer  and  supplication  in  the  Spirit,"  "Con- 
tinue in  prayer."  Thus  the  call  to  unceasing- 
prayer  ring-s  out  clear  and  distinct  all  throug-h 
the  word. 

It  is  plain  to  be  seen,  then,  that  there  is 
no  dang-er  of  g-oing-  beyond  the  precepts  of  the 
Bible  in  this  respect.  We  cannot  g-ive  too 
much  of  our  lives  to  prayer.  And  I  want  to 
exert  what  influence  I  can  in  this  little  book, 
to  induce  Christians  to  g-ive  more  of  their  time 
to  prayer.  I  do  want  that  they  should  plead 
more  earnestly,  more  importunately,  "Thy 
king-dom  come."  More  of  God's  people  should 
make  prayer  to  a  g-reater  extent  the  occupation 
of  their  lives.  This  should  be  their  business, 
the  main  thing-  to  which  their  life  is  really  de- 
voted. In  the  morning-  beg-in  to  pray;  as  the 
hours  pass  by  continue  in  prayer,  and  so  week 
by  week  and  year  by  year.  It  is  not  meant  by 
this  that  the  person  cannot  eng-ag-e  in  some 
occupation,  for  a  person  can  ardently  pursue  his 
calling-  yet  g-ive  his  days  to  prayer.  We  are  not 
to  suppose  that  we  can  eng-ag-e  in  prayer  only 


17 

wlien  we  take  time  and  kneel  down.  It  should 
be  clearly  understood  that  acceptable  prayer 
can  be  offered  at  any  time,  and  in  any  place. 
While  lyin^  on  the  bed  awake  at  nig-ht,  while 
walking-  or  riding-  along-  the  road,  or  while  the 
hands  are  busily  employed  in  daily  toil.  When- 
ever the  mind  is  free  to  think  and  the  lips  to 
move,  then  acceptable  prayer  can  ascend.  Some 
have  the  sweetest  seasons  of  communion  with 
God  while  they  are  most  busily  eng-ag-ed  at 
work. 

The  impressions  will  remain  with  me  to 
my  death  that  were  made  in  my  youth  by  read- 
ing- an  account  of  "The  Praying  Reaper."  It 
was  before  the  days  of  modern  machinery, 
when  they  reaped  the  g-rain  with  a  sickle. 
This  man  went  out  in  the  morning-  to  reap, 
and  he  spent  the  whole  day  in  prayer.  He 
found  at  nig-ht  he  had  reaped  more  than  an}^ 
day  during-  the  harvest,  and  it  had  been  one  of 
the  happiest  of  his  life.  He  alwa3'S  looked 
back  to  it  as  a  day  of  Heaven  upon  earth.  And 
who  can  tell  what  the  prayers  of  that  g'odly 
man  accomplished  that  day?  Were  we  faith- 
ful in  improving-  our  opportunities  we  could 


18 

all   have   such    da^'s   of   Heaven  upon  earth. 

But  let  no  one  imag-ine  that  because  we 
can  pray  acceptabl}^  while  busy  at  work,  that 
this  will-suffice,  and  that  hence  we  need  not  take 
any  time  for  prayer.  The  Lord  cannot  be  put 
off  in  that  manner.  It  is  a  difficult  matter  to 
cheat  the  Almig-hty.  If  we  are  not  willing-  to 
g-ive  some  of  our  time  to  devotion  the  Lord  is 
likely  to  reject  that  which  we  offer  during-  our 
working-  hours. 

If  we  want  to  give  our  time  to  the  Lord  in 
the  way  that  will  be  most  useful,  we  cannot  do 
better  than  to  spend  it  in  prayer.  It  is  prayer 
that  moves  the  Lord  to  exert  his  power  to  ad- 
vance his  king-dom;  this  is  according-  to  the 
method  of  his  administration.  He  has  g-iven 
prayer  that  prominent  place;  constituted  it  the 
great  agency  for  building  up  his  cause  on  the 
earth.  Since  this  is  the  case  there  is  little 
danger  of  spending  too  much  time  at  the 
throne  of  grace.  There  is  something  very 
touching  in  the  life  of  the  late  Dr.  Bonar.  He 
had  always  been  a  man  of  prayer,  but  as  the 
years  rolled  by  his  seasons  of  devotion  length- 
ened, so  that  in  his  later  years  that  venerable 


19 

man  was  not  satisfied  unless  he  had  spent  from 
three  to  six  hours  in  prayer,  out  of  the  twenty- 
four.  And  while  his  m.inistry  was  wonderfully 
successful,  yet  eternity  may  reveal  that  he  ac- 
complished more  for  the  kingdom  of  God  by 
his  pra3'ers  than  he  did  in  any  other  wa}'. 

Some  mig-ht  suppose  that  a  life  of  prayer 
must  be  somewhat  gloomy.  That  it  would  to 
some  extent  cast  a  dark  shadow  over  the  life. 
But  nothing  could  be  further  from  the  truth. 
The  one  who  gives  his  life  to  prayer  dv/ells 
nearer,  perhaps,  than  all  others  "In  the  secret 
place  of  the  Most  High;  abiding  under  the 
shadow  of  the  Almighty."  This  constancy  in 
prayer  keeps  the  person  near  to  God,  in  har- 
mony and  sympathy  with  him.  Thus  his  pres- 
ence, favor  and  love  are  secured,  so  that  the 
"Peace  of  God,  that  passeth  all  understand- 
ing," pervades  the  heart  and  life.  Do  we  want 
to  lead  happy  lives?  We  cannot  render  this  as 
certain  in  any  other  way  as  by  giving  our  lives 
to  prayer. 

A  word  of  caution  may  here  be  in  place, 
(though  it  is  uncertain  how  often  it  might 
prove  to  be  necessary, )  agonizing  prayer  makes 


20 

a  greater  drain  upon  tTie  vital  forces  tlian  the 
hardest  mental  labor.  Prudence  and  g-ood 
judg-ment  should  be  exercised,  lest  the  powers 
of  endurance  be  overtaxed.  Some  by  pleading- 
too  long-  and  earnestly  have  broug-ht  on  mental 
prostration.  Care  should  be  taken  that  we 
maintain  our  standings,  in  every  respect,  as 
wise,  prudent  Christians. 


CHAPTER  III. 

All  Chrlstians   Should   Lkakn   to   Pray. 

JWI  ANY  who  read  the  title  of  this  chapter 
^  '  *■  will  think  it  a  blunder,  or  a  contradic- 
tion. For,  as  they  believe,  all  Christians,  as  a 
matter  of  course,  do  learn  to  pray.  Would  that 
all  did;  but  it  is  a  sad  fact  that  there  are  too 
many  prayerless  Christians;  that  is,  those  who 
at  least  do  not  pray  before  others.  Nearly 
every  pastor  knows  this  too  Vv^ell.  In  almost 
every  church  there  are  those  who  g-ive  evidence 
of  piety,  yet  as  far  as  taking-  part  in  prayer  before 
others  is  concerned  their  lips  are  sealed;  under 
no  consideration  can  the}^  be  induced  to  make 
the  attempt.  Some  of  these,  I  am  sorry  to  say, 
when  closely  questioned,  have  to  admit  that 
they  are  nearly,  or  quite,  strangers  to  secret 
prayer.  This  is  a  mortifying  fact,  still  there 
is  scarcely  a  pastor,  who  has  exercised  fidelity 
on  this  point,  but  has  found  those  among-  his 
people  v/ho  are  leading-  lives  destitute  of  prayer. 
One  great  reason  wh}^  there  are  so  many 
church  members  who  will  not  pray  before 
others,  is  that  pastors  do  not  urg-e  this  duty 


22 

upon  those  received  into  the  church,  as  they 
should.  There  is  so  much  in  getting-  started 
rig-ht,  and  if,  when  .youn«-  people  and  others 
are  received  on  profession,  pastors  should  urg-e 
this  duty  upon  them,  the  most  of  them  would 
beg-in  this  duty.  Then  is  the  time  to  com- 
mence a  life  of  pra3^er,  and  if  neg-lected  then  it 
is  so  much  harder  to  begin  in  after  years.  Still 
at  whatever  period  in  life  people  begin  to  pray, 
they  usually  find  it  hard  at  the  commencement. 
There  are  scarcely  any  who  do  not  find  it  a 
difficult  task  at  first;  perhaps  they  are  ashamed 
that  they  cannot  pray  any  better,  and  are  dis- 
couraged. But  the  only  way  is  to  keep  on  and 
learn  to  pray  by  pra3dng.  Just  as  the  case  of 
a  man  who  became  noted  in  the  history  of  our 
country.*  He  had  been  a  member  of  the  church 
for  years,  but  had  never  taken  part  in  prayer 
meeting.  One  Sabbath  his  pastor  preached  on 
the  subject.  After  the  sermon  he  told  the  pas- 
tor he  was  convinced  that  it  was  his  duty  to 
take  part,  and  to  call  on  him  hereafter.  So  the 
next  prayer  meeting  the  pastor  requested  him 
to  lead  in  pra3^er.  He  did  wretchedly,  however, 
*S'i.one"\vall  Jackson. 


23 

yet  lie  said  to  the  pastor:  "I  feel  that  it  is  my 
duty,  and  I  want  you  to  call  on  me."  After  a 
few  attempts  the  pastor  went  to  him  and  said 
kindly:  "Perhaps  I  had  betternot  callon  you." 
But  he  persisted:  "It  is  my  duty,  call  on  me." 
He  blundered  along-  and  learned  to  pra}^  and 
the  petitions  that  fell  from  his  lips  in  later 
years  w^ere  simply  marvelous.  He  will  be  re- 
membered for  his  pra^^ers  almost  as  much  as 
for  his  brilliant  deeds. 

Let  no  one  seek  to  excuse  him.self  or  her- 
self from  praying-  because  it  is  hard.  If  this 
excuse  were  valid,  as  we  have  seen,  then  all 
w^ould  be  exempt.  We  should  faithfull}^  meet 
this  oblig-ation,  the  same  as  any  other.  The 
way  to  look  at  it  is,  "It  is  m}^  duty,  and  by  the 
help  of  God  I  will  keep  on  trying-  until  I  can 
pray."  And  in  almost  everj^  case  where  a  per- 
son is  faithful  it  is  not  long-  before  pra3^er  be- 
comes easy  and  affords  the  sweetest  enjoyment. 
But  whether  it  becomes  easy  and  yields  enjoy- 
ment or  not,  it  is  a  sacred  duty,  and  every 
Christian  should  learn  to  pray. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Conditions  of  Succe:ssfuIv  Praykr. 

TN  order  to  pray  acceptably  and  prevailing-ly 
for  the  corning-  of  the  king-dom  several 
thing-s  are  necessary.  Only  a  few  of  these  can 
be  mentioned.  One  is  a  deep  interest  in  the 
welfare  of  the  church  and  of  the  souls  of  men. 
These  interests  need  to  be  deeply,  warmly 
cherished;  they  should  lie  very  near  the  heart. 
We  should  bear  something-  of  the  love  for 
those  precious  interests  that  the  Lord  himself 
bears.  We  should  have  such  a  deep  concern 
for  the  welfare  of  the  church  that  we  can  cry 
with  the  Psalmist:  "If  I  forget  thee,  O  Jeru- 
salem, let  my  right  hand  forget  her  cunning-." 
And  our  hearts  should  be  so  burdened  for  the 
salvation  of  our  fellow  men  that  we  can  say 
with  the  apostle:  "Brethren,  my  heart's  desire 
and  prayer  to  God  for  others  is  that  they 
may  be  saved."  "I  have  g-reat  heaviness  and 
continueil  sorrow  in  my  heart"  for  those  on  the 
way  to  ruin.  Or  with  the  weeping-  prophet: 
*'0  that  my  head  were  waters,  and  mine  eyes 
a  fountain  of  tears,  that  I  mig-ht  weep  day  and 


25 

nig-ht  for  the  slain  of  the  daiirrhters  of  mj  peo- 
ple." Our  prayers  will  not  amount  to  very  much 
unless  we  do  have  something-  of  this  deep  solic- 
itude for  the  welfare  of  the  church  and  for  the 
souls  of  men. 

We  must  also  have  an  earnest  desire  for 
the  coming-  of  the  kingdom.  This  naturally 
follows.  If  we  feel  a  deep,  heartfelt  interest  in 
the  welfare  of  Zion,  as  a  matter  of  course  we 
must  desire  her  prosperity.  If  our  hearts  are 
burthened  for  the  salvation  of  the  perishing-,  we 
will  long-  to  see  them  broug-ht  to  Jesus.  We 
will  feel  that  we  cannot  endure  it  unless  others 
secure  eternal  life.  We  need  to  g-et  the  welfare 
of  the  church  and  of  the  souls  of  men  on  our 
very  heart  of  hearts;  then  with  burthened, 
breaking-  hearts,  we  can  but  plead,  "Thyking-- 
dom  come." 

Again,  if  our  prayers  are  going-  to  avail 
anything  we  must  seek  to  lead  blameless  lives 
before  God  and  before  our  fellow  men.  If  we 
lead  inconsistent,  unholy  lives,  no  difference 
how  earnestly  we  might  plead  in  behalf  of 
Zion  the  Lord  would  turn  away  and  refuse  to 
answer:      "If  I  regard  iniquity  in  my  heart, 


26 

the  Lord  will  not  hear  me."  Then  if  the  un- 
saved see  us  leading-  inconsistent,  wicked  lives 
it  turns  them  ag-ainst  relig-ion.  O  how  many 
professed  Christians  do  such  a  world  of  harm 
by  their  manner  of  life.  Ah,  if  we  desire  to 
advance  the  interests  of  the  king-dom  we  must 
endeavor  to  walk  very  closely  in  the  footsteps 
of  the  holy  Saviour.  "What  manner  of  persons 
oug-ht  we  to  be  in  all  holy  conversation  and 
g-odliness."  Let  not  the  frequenters  of  the 
theatre,  the  dance,  the  card  table  or  the  wine 
suppers;  or  the  profane,  the  impure  or  the  g-am- 
bler  ima.g"ine  that  their  prayers  are  acceptable, 
and  that  thus  they  can  help  in  the  Lord's  work. 
No  amount  of  prayer  that  such  can  offer 
can  counterbalance  the  evil  they  are  doing-  to 
their  own  souls  and  to  the  souls  of  others  by 
their  manner  of  life.  Any  such  practices  as 
these  separate  between  us  and  our  God,  and 
cause  him  to  hide  his  face  from  us  that  he  will 
not  hear.  One  reason,  no  doubt,  why  there  are 
not  g-reater  results  from  the  volume  of  prayer 
that  does  ascend,  is  that  it  takes  so  much  prayer 
to  counteract  the  bad  effects  of  the  inconsistent, 
unholy  lives  of  so  many  church  members.    So 


much  prayer  is  utterly  neutralized.  That  is  a 
hard  statement,  and  would  to  God  it  were  not 
true.  When  will  the  Israel  of  God  come  out 
fully  from  the  w^orld  and  be  separate — a  pecu- 
liar people?  When  will  the  car  of  salvation 
be  freed  of  dead  weig"hts?  If  all  who  have 
named  the  name  of  Christ  should  lead  holy, 
consecrated  lives  and  would  be  as  active  in  the 
Master's  service  as  they  should  be  and  as 
prayerful;  in  a  very  few  decades  the  whole 
world  could  be  broug-ht  to  Christ. 

Only  one  thing-  more  can  be  mentioned. 
We  should  not  only  pra}^;  we  should  also  put 
forth  corresponding-  efforts  for  the  upbuilding 
of  the  king-dom.  "Faith  without  works  is 
dead."  Work,  as  well  as  prayer,  is  required 
to  build  up  the  cause  of  the  Redeemer,  and 
every  one  who  wishes  that  cause  well  should 
improve  every  opportttnity  for  active  service. 
There  may  be  instances  where  persons  are  so 
situated  that  they  have  no  opportunity  of 
rendering-  active  service;  under  these  circum- 
stances prayer  is  the  whole  duty.  But  such 
cases  are  rare;  g-enerally  when  the  pra3^er  is 
earnestly  offered:  "Lord  what  wilt  thou  have 


28 

me  to  do?"  some  line  of  usefulness  will  be 
opened. 

It  is  too  bad  that  there  is  such  an  amount 
of  talent  wrapped  up  in  napkins  in  our 
churches;  so  much  latent  talent,  so  much  cap- 
ital unemployed,  and  hence  that  bring-s  in  no 
returns.  So  few,  comparatively,  eng-ag-ed  in 
Christian  work.  Many  in  our  churches  who 
are  best  fitted  for  usefulness  do  nothing-.  They 
seem  to  think  that  all  they  were  broug"ht  into 
the  king-dom  for,  was  merely  to  be  saved. 
They  do  not  consider  that  the  dear  Master 
has  any  demand  upon  their  time,  their  talents, 
and  all  that  they  have.  Hence  they  simply 
fold  their  hands  and  try  to  g-et  to  Heaven  just 
as  easily  as  possible.  There  are  church  mem- 
bers of  thirty  or  forty  years  standing*  who 
never  yet  have  made  any  efforts  to  win  others 
to  Christ  and  to  Heaven.  It  is  to  be  feared 
that  many  in  that  brig-ht  world  will  wear 
* 'starless  crowns."  When  will  the  drones  be 
g-ot  to  work?  V/hen  can  the  latent  talent  and 
power  in  the  churches  be  utilized? 

At  the  same  time  there  are  a  g-reat  many 
who  complain  and  are  deeply  g-rieved  because 


there  is  notliiiig-  for  them  to  do.  At  times  per- 
sons cannot  find  just  the  kind  of  work  in  which 
the  J  wish  to  engag-e.  Alf  cannot  be  Sunday 
school  teachers,  or  superintendents,  or  preach- 
ers; yet  there  are  few,  as  has  been  said,  who 
earnestly  ask  the  Lord  what  he  would  have 
them  do,  and  are  Vvalling-  to  do  what  comes  to 
their  hands,  but  what  they  can  find  something- 
in  reach  to  do.  And  there  is  one  line  of  effort 
and  usefulness  that  is  open  for  all;  there  is  one 
department  that  is  not  overcrowded,  and  never 
will  be;  no  Christian  can  ever  excuse  himself 
because  there  is  nothing  he  can  do — all  can 
pray. 


CHAPTER  V. 

What  Pkaykr  Can  Accomplish. 

TJERE,  perhaps,  some  are  readj-  to  say: 
*^  -^  "But  we  want  a  w^ork  that  amounts  to 
something;  a  line  of  effort  by  which  we  can 
accomplish  visible,  tangible  results.  If  we 
merely  pray  how  can  we  be  certain  that  we 
have  really  ever  done  any  good?" 

No  doubt  many  Christians  sincerely  think 
that  it  would  be  but  little  they  could  do 
through  prayer;  hence  they  do  not  feel  to 
spend  much  time  in  pleading  "Thy  kingdom 
come;"  while  the  facts  are,  perhaps,  that  there 
is  no  other  line  of  effort  that  promises  as  large 
results;  there  is  no  other  means  by  which  we 
can  accomplish  as  great  and  lasting  good* 
nothing  in  which  we  can  engage  that  really 
may  do  as  much  to  advance  the  kingdom  of 
God  as  prayer. 

Yet  it  is  a  severe  test  of  our  faith,  for  in 
the  nature  of  the  case  we  can  know  so  little  of 
the  results.  Much  of  the  prayer  offered  for 
the  coming  of  the  kingdom  is  of  such  a  nature 
that  nothing-  can  ever  be  known  of  the  an- 


31 

swers.  In  other  departments  we  can  often  see 
the  direct  results  of  our  efforts;  but  we  can 
never  know  in  this  life  just  how  much  our 
prayers  have  accomplished.  We  have  simply 
to  leave  our  prayers  in  the  hands  of  a  faithful 
Promiser.  Our  faith,  however,  should  be 
strong-  enoug-h  so  that  we  can  confidently  leave 
the  case  in  his  hands.  And  when  "the  mists 
have  rolled  away"  no  one  will  be  disappointed 
at  the  results  of  his  earnest  wrestling's  before 
the  throne  of  grace. 

For  if  a  person  was  so  situated  that  he 
should  devote  his  entire  lifetime  to  praying  for 
the  King-dom,  he  would  accomplish  grander 
results  than  he  could  in  any  other  wa}'.  Just 
devote  the  life  to  prayer,  make  that  the  daily 
occupation,  the  one  business  in  which  he  en- 
gages, and  no  one  need  fear  of  being  dis- 
appointed when  he  opens  his  eyes  in  eternity 
and  sees  the  fruits  of  his  life.  Let  me  give  a 
few  examples  of  what  persons  have  accom- 
plished by  their  prayers: 

A  pastor  had  charge  of  a  church  forty 
years,  and  all  through,  those  }- ears  were  almost 
a  cojoitijiuous  revival,  precious  souls  in  large 


32 

numbers  under  his  ministry  kept  coming-  to 
Christ.  He  did  not  know  to  what  to  attribute 
his  success.  At  the  end  of  those  years  one  of 
the  members  of  his  church  died.  He  never  had 
been  very  prominent,  but  in  securing-  informa- 
tion for  the  funeral  services  he  learned  that 
this  brother  had  spent  every  Saturday  night 
till  twelve  o'clock  for  the  last  forty  years  in 
praying-  for  the  blessing-  of  God  to  rest  upon 
the  labors  of  his  pastor  the  next  day.  When 
the  pastor  learned  of  those  forty  years  of 
prayer  in  his  behalf  he  knew  very  well  where 
those  forty  years  of  revival  came  from. 

Many  years  ag-o,  in  Virg-inia,  there  was  a 
church  in  which  relig-ion  was  at  a  ver}^  low  ebb. 
There  had  been  no  revival  for  a  long-  time  and 
the  young-  people  were  growing-  up  very  irre- 
ligious. This  greatly  troubled  an  old  gray- 
headed  elder,  and  one  Saturday  night  he  went 
and  knelt  down  on  a  bridge  near  the  church 
and  spent  the  whole  night  in  prayer  for  the 
blessing  to  be  sent.  During  the  services  in  the 
church  the  next  day  a  revival  began  which 
swept  through  that  country.  That  old  gray- 
headed  man  wrestled  alone  in  prayer  and  pre- 


vailed.  And  often  one  person  does  wrestle 
alone  with  Israel's  God  and  prevail;  as  in  the 
following-  instance  given  by  Prof.  Charles  G. 
Finney: 

A  pious  man  in  western  New  York  was 
sick  with  consumption.  He  was  poor,  and  was 
sick  for  years.  An  unconverted  merchant  of 
the  place  used  to  kindly  send  him  things  for 
his  comfort,  or  for  his  family.  At  length  it 
occurred  to  him  that  the  best  return  he  could 
make  for  this  kindness  would  be  to  pray  for 
the  man's  salvation.  He  began  to  pray,  his 
soul  became  enthused,  and  he  was  led  on  to  a 
wider  field.  He  knew  some  thirty  churches 
and  ministers,  in  whom  he  felt  an  interest. 
He  set  apart  certain  times  to  pray  for  a  revival 
in  their  churches.  He  also  selected  some  mis- 
sion stations  in  foreign  lands.  He  was  very 
earnest  in  prayer;  he  was  in  such  an  agony  of 
soul  and  he  struggled  so  hard  for  the  blessing 
that  at  times  his  family  feared  he  would  des- 
troy his  life.  In  his  diary  he  would  write  that 
on  such  a  day  he  was  able  to  offer  the  prayer 
of  faith,  as  he  called  it,  for  the  out-pouring  of 
the  Spirit  on  such  a  church,  and  he  trusted 


3^ 

there  would  soon  be  a  revival  there.  And  the 
revivals  came  in  very  nearly  the  order  he  had 
noted  that  he  had  been  enabled  to  offer  the 
prayer  of  faith.  These  places  included  the 
mission  stations  in  heathen  lands  and  the  place 
where  he  lived.  This  latter  was  a  deep  and 
widespread  work  of  g-race,  during  which  the 
merchant  was  hopefully  converted.  It  is  within 
the  bounds  of  truth  to  assert  that  there  were 
few  persons  living-  at  that  time  who  accom- 
plished more  for  the  Lord  than  that  hopeless 
invalid. 

There  was  the  case  of  another  invalid,  as 
related  by  Mr.  Moody:  A  little  cripple  lay  on 
her  dying-  bed.  She  had  given  her  heart  to  the 
Saviour,  and  she  was  distressed  only  because 
she  could  do  nothing  to  secure  the  salvation  of 
others.  Her  pastor  visited  her  and  hearing 
her  complaint,  told  her  that  while  lying  on  her 
sick  bed  she  could  pray  for  those  she  desired 
to  be  saved.  He  told  her  to  write  the  names 
down  and  then  to  pray  earnestly  for  them.  He 
went  away  and  thought  no  more  of  it. 

Soon  a  deep  religious  interest  sprung  up 
in  the  place,  and  the  churches  became  nightly 


crowded.  Tlie  little  cripple  was  eager  to  hear 
of  the  prog-ress  of  the  work  and  anxiously  in- 
quired the  names  of  those  converted.  A  few 
weeks  later  she  died,  and  among-  a  roll  of 
papers  that  was  found  under  her  pillow  was 
one  bearing-  the  names  of  fifty-six  persons, 
every  one  of  whom  had  been  converted  during- 
the  meeting's.  By  each  of  the  names  was  a 
little  cross,  by  which  the  poor  crippled  saint 
had  checked  off  the  names  as  they  had  been 
reported  to  her. 

One  more  case  showing-  the  possibilities  of 
prayer  must  be  g-iven:  The  pastor  of  one  of 
the  leading-  churches  in  a  larg-e  state,  and  an 
eminently  successful  "soul-winner,"  dates  his 
success  in  the  Master's  work  to  the  realization 
by  himself  and  his  people  of  the  power  of  con- 
stant and  united  prayer.  Up  to  that  time  he 
had  been  fairly  successful  in  his  ministry,  but 
not  more  than  ordinary.  Since  this  baptism 
of  prayer  and  of  earnest  labor  came  upon  him, 
and  larg-ely  throug-h  him  upon  his  people,  it 
can  be  justly  said  that  there  has  been  a  con- 
stant revival.  Multitudes  have  been  g-athered 
into  the  fold,  and  he  has  grown  wonderfully 


36 

In  power  and  usefulness  as  a  g-ospel  preacher. 
What  might  not  be  accomplished  if  pastors, 
with  their  people  g-enerally,  became  baptized 
with  this  spirit  of  prayer?  What  gracious 
revivals  could  be  recorded;  what  wonderful 
victories. 

In  view  of  these  instances,  and  others  like 
them  that  could  be  given,  how  groundless  the 
fear  that  the  seasons  of  prayer  are  wasted; 
that  it  is  time  thrown  away.  Who  has  accom- 
plished more,  in  the  same  length  of  time,  than 
those  did  in  the  examples  just  given?  True 
we  cannot  alwaj^s  know  the  results  of  our 
prayers,  but  we  can  anchor  our  souls  upon  the 
promises  of  God,  and  confidently  leave  all  in 
his  hands.  Many  of  God's  dear  people  are 
doing  this;  relying  upon  the  sure  promises 
they  are  beseiging  the  throne  of  grace  in  be- 
half of  Zion.  But  their  prayers  are  so  compre- 
hensive, covering  as  they  do  almost  every  de- 
partment of  the  broad  field,  that  it  is  utterly 
impossible  for  them  to  determine  when,  where 
or  how  their  petitions  are  answered.  Yet  their 
confidence  is  such  that  they  sweetly  rest  on 
the  faithfulness  of  Jehovah. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Further  IivI^ustrations  of  th^  Rksui<ts  op 
Prayer. 

A^/KRE  it  possible  for  us  to  know  the  real 
^  ^  history  of  the  Lord's  work  in  all  ag-es 
and  in  all  places,  we  could  easily  see  how  the 
prosperity  of  the  king-dom  depends  on  prayer. 
But  this  we  cannot  fully  know;  so  much  of  the 
church's  history  remains  unwritten.  As  it  is, 
however,  many  wonderful  illustrations  of  the 
ag-ency  of  prayer  can  be  g-iven.  There  was  the 
day  of  Pentecost,  when  the  Holy  Ghost  came 
in  such  overwhelming-  power,  and  three  thous- 
and were  converted  in  one  day.  But  the  one 
hundred  and  twenty  had  tarried  in  Jerusalem 
pleading-  "the  promise  of  the  Father."  They 
had  held  a  ten  days'  prayer  meeting-  and  then 
the  mighty  power  of  God  was  displayed.  It  is 
safe,  perhaps,  to  say,  that  if  they  had  not  thus 
waited  upon  God  there  would  have  been  no 
Pentecost.  Just  so  during-  all  the  history  of 
the  church  from  that  till  now,  in  almost  every 
instance  when  the  Holy  Spirit  has  descended  to 


turn  men  to  God,  the  work  of  grace  can  be 
traced  to  special  prayer. 

As  in  Scotland,  some  centuries  ag'O,  a  band 
of  Christians  spent  the  whole  nig-ht  in  prayer. 
The  next  day  at  that  place  there  were  five 
hundred  converts  under  one  sermon  by  Mr. 
Living-stone.  It  was  the  same  at  Enfield  where 
Jonathan  Edwards  preached  his  famous  sermon 
from  the  text,  "Their  feet  shall  slide  in  due 
time."  For  months  there  had  been  most  g"ra- 
cious  revivals  in  that  section,  but  the  church 
at  Enfield  had  not  shared  in  "the  showers  of 
blessing-,"  and  they  began  to  fear  lest  they 
should  be  passed  by.  So  a  number  of  the  mem- 
bers met  and  spent  all  the  nig-lit  in  pra3^er. 
During-  the  delivery  of  the  sermon  the  next 
day  the  Spirit  came  in  wondrous  power.  The 
convictions  of  many  were  overwhelming-;  some 
crying-  out  in  terror,  caug-lit  hold  of  the  seats, 
reall}^  thinking-  that  their  feet  were  sliding- 
into  perdition. 

The  extensive  revivals  of  modern  times 
have  nearl}^  all  been  preceded  and  accompanied 
by  special  praj^er.  The  sweeping  revival  of 
1857  in  this  country  was  born  in  a  pra3'er  meet- 


39 

ing-.  That  deep  and  thoroug-li  work  of  grace 
in  the  north  of  Ireland  in  1858  traced  directly 
to  special,  wrestling-  prayer  as  itssourcs.  Th2 
same  is  true  of  the  great  awakening-  in  Scot- 
land the  following-  year.  There  had  been  such 
extensive  revivals  in  America  and  in  Ireland, 
the  brethren  in  Scotland  yearned  for  a  similar 
blessing-  to  visit  their  churches.  They  agreed 
to  pour  out  their  hearts  before  God  in  prayer, 
and  he  was  true  to  his  promise. 

There  have  been  revivals  of  g-reat  power 
concerning-  which  no  record  seems  to  have  been 
left,  as  to  whether  they  had  been  preceded  by 
g-reat  prayerfulness  or  not.  That  in  the  south- 
ern states  early  in  this  century  was  such,  when 
the  Cumberland  church  beg-an.  And  yet  such 
revivals  as  these  may  have  been  prayed  down. 
We  have  simply  received  no  account  of  the 
matter.  The  prayers,  too,  may  have  been 
offered  in  distant  lands. 

Take  the  work  of  the  leading  evangelists 
at  present;  to  a  man  they  depend  on  prayer  for 
their  success.  When  they  agree  to  hold  a  series 
of  meetings  at  any  place  they  arrange  for 
special  prayer  services  to  be  held  weeks,  often 


40 

months  before  they  g-o  to  beg- in  their  work. 
At  times  these  men,  when  they  have  g-one  to 
the  place  and  found  a  state  of  coldness  and 
prayerlessness  on  the  part  of  Christians,  they 
have  refused  to  g-o  on  with  the  work.  They 
consider  that  to  do  so,  under  such  circum- 
stances, would  be  a  waste  of  time,  and  utterly 
useless. 

And  these  evang-elists  are  nearly,  if  not 
all,  men  of  g-reat  prayerfulness.  They  zeal- 
ously devote  all  the  time  they  possibly  can  to 
prayer.  It  would  not  be  courteous  to  these 
brethren  to  invade  their  privacy  by  turning-  a 
search-lig^ht  upon  their  seasons  of  devotion, 
but  without  mentioning-  names  some  of  their 
habits  in  this  respect  may  be  g-iven:  Thirty 
years  ag-o  a  young-  man  was  converted  in  a 
meeting-  held  in  one  of  our  larg-e  cities  by  a 
man  who  had  an  international  reputation. 
Under  God  he  accomplished  a  wonderful  work. 
This  young-  man,  from  peculiar  circumstances, 
spent  a  g-reat  deal  of  time  with  the  evang-elist, 
and  he  told  me  that  they  would  hardly  have 
reached  their  room  when  the  evang-elist  would 
say,  "Let  us  pray;  let  us  lay  these  cases  before 


41 

tlie  Lord."  He  said  that  the  evang-elist  spent 
nearly  the  entire  time  between  meetings  in 
prayer.  Years  ag-o  there  was  a  man,  not  very 
widely  known,  but  he  was  eminently  a  man  of 
God,  and  was  very  successful  in  revival  work. 
He  was  deaf — could  not  hear  the  ring-  of  a  bell 
or  a  rap  on  his  door.  The  families  where  he 
was  entertained  during- a  meeting-  always  knew 
where  to  find  him  when  they  wanted  him  to 
come  to  his  meals — in  his  room  on  his  knees 
in  prayer. 

It  was  my  privileg-e  once  to  participate  in 
a  meeting-  nnder  the  leadership  of  one  whose 
labors  it  has  pleased  the  Lord  to  bless  above 
those  of  most  of  others;  he  has  almost  uniform 
success.  After  holding-  from  three  to  six  ser- 
vices during-  the  day  and  evening-,  he  would 
spend  the  most  of  his  nig-hts  in  prayer.  Four 
to  six  in  the  morning-  frequently  found  him 
still  on  his  knees,  in  his  room,  before  God  in 
prayer.  If  we  should  g-o  on  and  notice  the  lead- 
ing- evangelists  of  former,  as  well  as  of  modern 
times,  we  would  find  them,  perhaps,  to  a  man, 
eminent  for  prayer.  They  pay  the  price  for 
success  in  their  work. 


42 

Thus  it  has  ever  been;  those  who  have 
accomplished  great  thing-s  for  God  have  baen 
men  of  prayer.  Crushed  ahnost  with  a  sense 
of  their  own  helplessness;  deeply  realizing- 
"Without  me  ye  can  do  nothing,"  they  have 
been  driven  to  God  as  their  only  refug-e,  and 
he  has  not  failed  them.  "The  eternal  God  is 
their  refug-e,  and  vinderneath  are  the  everlast- 
ing- arms."  Had  it  not  been  for  his  prayers 
Martin  Luther  could  not  have  set  Europe  on 
fire;  but  for  his  prayers  John  Knox  could  not 
have  secured  Scotland. 

Then  there  is  One  before  whose  name  all 
others  pale,  as  stars  before  the  sun — the  blessed 
Christ.  He  came  to  do  a  work  such  as  was 
never  entrusted  to  another  in  the  universe, 
and  he,  "the  Man  of  sorrows,"  was  pre-emi- 
nently a  man  of  pra3^er.  He  laid  the  founda- 
tions of  his  king-dom  in  prayer,  as  v/ell  as  in 
tears  and  blood.  Glimpses  are  left  o£  his  habits 
in  this  respect;  so  often  it  is  recorded  he  retired 
alone  for  prayer.  At  times  he  spent  the  whole 
nig-ht  in  prayer,  "The  morning-  star  finding 
him  where  the  evening  star  left  him."  If  there 
had  been  a  phonograph   on   these    occasions 


43 

wlien  lie  wrestled  with  the  Father,  to  have 
caug-ht  and  transmitted  those  tearful  petitions 
as  they  ascended  for  his  church,  what  wonder- 
ful cries  could  be  heard.  Just  such  breathing's, 
no  doubt,  as  we  find  in  the  17th  of  St.  John, 
No  one  can  doubt  but  that  these  prayers  have 
been  answered  on  during-  all  the  centuries,  and 
Avili  be  answered  to  the  end.  But  he  prayed 
not  merely  while  on  earth;  he  has  ascended  to 
the  rig-ht  hand  of  God,  "where  he  ever  lives  to 
make  intercession."  He  is  pleading  now  for 
his  church,  and  is  not  his  example  one  for  all 
his  people  to  imitate?  How  can  they  be  his 
followers  and  fail  to  copy  his  example  in  this 
respect? 

The  testimony  of  the  entire  history  of  the 
church  is  that  progress  and  prosperity  depend 
on  praj^er.  "Except  the  Lord  build  the  house, 
they  labor  in  vain  that  build  it."  In  no  line  of 
Christian  work  can  success  be  expected  with- 
out earnest,  importunate  prayer. 

In  view  of  all  this  how  is  it  that  so  many 
professed  Christians  are  either  almost  or  en- 
tirely prayerless,  as  far  as  the  cause  of  the  Re- 
deemer is  concerned?   No  difference  how  earn- 


44 

estlj  some  pray  for  fhemselves  they  scarcely 
ever  plead  with  God  for  the  prosperity  of  Zion, 
or  if  their  prayers  ever  do  turn  in  this  direc- 
tion they  are  cold,  dead,  heartless.  We  often 
wonder,  when  we  think  of  it,  why  the  Lord 
does  not  make  short  work  of  it  and  speedily 
bring-  about  the  conversion  of  the  whole  world, 
yet  when  we  reflect  upon  the  prayerlessness  of 
so  many  Christians,  the  wonder  rather  is  that 
the  king-dom  of  God  advances  as  rapidly  as  it 
does.  O,  it  is  too  bad  that  so  few,  compara- 
tively, plead  "Thy  king-dom  come."  The  ten- 
der command  of  our  Saviour  rests  upon  us 
thus  to  pray.  There  are  such  promises  assur- 
ing- us  that  the  Lord  will  g-raciously  hear  and 
answer.  Millions  perishing-  yet  in  darkness 
and  millions  perishing-  from  under  the  sound 
of  the  g-ospel  appeal  to  them  for  their  prayers. 
How  can  any  of  the  Lord's  people,  in  view  of 
all  this,  refrain  from  prayer?  What  can  drive 
them  to  their  knees  if  all  this  does  not? 


CHAPTER  VII. 

For  What  Shall  Wk  Pray? 

Al/HEN  Christians  attempt  to  pray  for  the 
^'  upbuilding-  of  the  king-dom  they  are 
often  at  a  loss  to  know  for  what  to  plead.  And 
frequently  when  they  have  mentioned  a  few 
thing's  they  run  out,  and  it  seems  to  them 
there  is  nothings  more  to  be  said.  Even  when 
experienced  Christians  in  prayer  meeting-  pray 
for  the  cause  of  Christ,  the  poverty  of  their 
ideas  is  often  surprising-.  But  if  any  should 
devote  themselves  to  a  life  of  prayer  they  need 
not  be  at  any  loss  for  petitions  to  present. 
There  are  enoug-h  objects  that  tenderly  appeal 
to  our  prayers  to  occupy  all  the  hours  of  every 
day.  When  any  attempt  to  present  these  ob- 
jects, in  all  their  phases,  taking  a  survey  to 
some  extent  of  the  wide  field,  new  objects  come 
crowding-  upon  them;  there  appears  to  be  no 
limit  to  the  vast  rang-e  of  view.  The  field  is 
the  world,  embracing-  every  feature  of  the  work 
and  all  the  varied  interests  involved. 

Look  at  it:     There,  for  instance,  are  the 
Jews.    They  were  once  the  chosen  people,  the 


46 

seed  of  Abraham,  the  friend  of  God,  the  breth- 
ren of  our  Lord,  as  concerning-  the  flesh.  It  is 
heart-rending-  to  think  of  their  condition,  for 
thej  are  still  spurning  the  dear  Saviour.  Nine- 
teen centuries  after  the  advent  of  their  Mes- 
siah thej  are  still  rejecting-  him  throug-h  blind 
unbelief,  and  are  g"oing-  down  to  darkness  and 
death  without  hope.  How  many  g-enerations 
more  of  that  people  are  to  perish  ere  they  "look 
upon  him  whom  they  have  pierced  and  mourn?" 
How  long,  OLord,  how  long?  We  may  be  con- 
fident of  this,  if  that  volume  of  prayer  was 
offered  for  them  that  should  be,  their  eyes 
would  soon  be  opened  to  behold  in  Jesus  of 
Nazareth  their  long-expected  Messiah.  "All 
Israel"  then  would  soon  "be  saved."  There  is 
no  people  that  appeals  more  strongly  and  ten- 
derly to  our  prayers  than  ancient  Israel. 

Again,  take  the  present  condition  of  Eur- 
ope, and  what  spiritual  desolations  are  wit- 
nessed there.  In  all  those  vast  countries  there 
is  very  little  true  piety.  The  teeming  millions 
of  that  continent,  to  such  an  extent,  are  living 
in  worldliness  and  sin;  either  rejecting  religion 
altogether,    or   else    satisfied   with    its   mere 


4*7 

empty  forms.  The  relig-ious  condition  of  that 
country  is  dreadful,  when  we  think  of  its  mil- 
lions hastening-  to  ruin.  Yet  there  are  hopeful 
indications.  The  fields  appear  to  be  whitening- 
for  the  harvest.  Of  late  years  there  is  a  g-reat 
demand  for  the  word  of  God,  and  the  Bible  is 
being-  widely  circulated.  The  Scriptures  are 
in  reach  of  a  larg-e  portion  of  that  people.  Now 
if  the  Holy  Spirit  should  descend  to  quicken 
the  word;  to  bring- the  truth  home  to  their  con- 
viction and  conversion,  millions  in  Europe  could 
be  broug-ht  to  Christ.  How  God  would  be  g"lor- 
ified  and  what  a  precious  harvest  of  souls 
would  be  saved  were  those  people  turned  to 
the  Lord.  How  can  Christians  keep  from 
praying-  for  those  perishing-  millions? 

There,  too,  is  Africa,  that  dark  continent. 
The  lig-ht  is  now  penetrating-  its  jungles  and 
plains.  Mission  stations  are  not  only  dotting- 
its  shores,  but  also  the  far  interior.  Mission- 
aries following-  in  the  track  of  Livingstone 
and  Stanley  have  carried  the  g-ospel  to  the 
very  heart  of  that  almost  inaccessible  land. 
Oases  are  beg-inning*  to  "make  the  wilderness 
and  the  solitary  places  g-hid."     And  many  of 


48 

the  dark  faces  of  that  people  are  being-  lit  up 
with  the  joy  the  gospel  alone  can  bring-.  It  is 
a  very  fruitful,  hopeful  mission  field;  there  is 
a  g-reat  readiness  to  receive  the  g-lad  tiding-sof 
salvation,  and  if  the  Lord's  people  only  remem- 
bered that  benig-hted  land  in  prayer  as  they 
should,  "Kthopia  would  soon  stretch  out  her 
hands  unto  God." 

So,  of  almost  every  land.  The  outlook  is 
hopeful  in  almost  every  quarter.  The  harvest 
of  the  world  appears  to  be  ripening-;  all  seem- 
ing-ly  that  is  needed  to  the  gatherings  in  of  an 
immense  harvest  is  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  to  bring-  the  word  home  to  the  heart 
with  saving  power.  And,  let  it  be  repeated, 
he  comes  in  answer  to  prayer.  How  can  the 
Lord's  people  neglect  to  pray  for  the  perishing 
at  such  a  time  as  this.  O  that  every  Christian 
would  take  to  pleading  with  brokenness  of 
heart,  *'Thy  kingdom  come,"  and  "Come  O 
Spirit,  breathe  upon  these  slain,  that  they  may 
live."  Were  this  course  pursued,  a  scene  re- 
sembling the  last  resurrection  could  be  wit- 
nessed in  nearly  all  the  earth.  For  then  the 
Holy  Spirit  would  be  "poured  out  on  all  flesh," 


49 

and  the  dead  in  tresspasses  and  sins  would  be 
raised  up  to  a  new  life.  Immense  armies  would 
be  raised  up  to  serve  the  living-  God  and 
"nations  would  be  born  in  a  day." 

It  seems  clear  that  the  g-reat  need  of  the 
kingdom  of  God  today  is  a  greater  volume  of 
pYa.jev.  Prayer  has  hardly  kept  pace  with  the 
ag-g-ressive  work  of  the  church.  This  is  an 
ag-e  of  great  activit}^  and  the  work  has  been 
fruitful.  Yet  the  gospel  has  been  taken  to 
such  multitudes  who  have  not  embraced  it. 
Millions  upon  millions  in  home  and  in  heathen 
lands  are  perishing-  under  the  sound  of  the 
g-ospel,  and  from  within  reach  of  the  Saviour's 
arms.  Now,  without  stopping-  the  sower,  the 
reaper  oug-ht  to  catch  nearer  up.  How  can 
this  be  done?  By  greater  pra3^erfulness  on 
the  part  of  God's  people.  For  then  the  gospel, 
broug-ht  home  to  the  heart  by  the  divine  Spirit, 
will  be  made  "the  power  of  God  unto  the  sal- 
vation" of  vast  multitudes  of  these  who  are 
now  rejecting-  it. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

For   What   Shai.l  We   Pray? — Continued. 

A  S  was  said,  when  Christians  are  urg-ed  to 
^~^  praj  for  the  coming-  of  the  kingdom,  so 
many  of  them  feel  that  there  is  really  so  little 
for  which  to  pra}^,  and  their  prayers  are  lim- 
ited to  a  very  few  objects.  Their  attention 
has  never  been  broug-ht  to  survey  the  wnde 
field,  the  broad  expanse  that  lies  spread  out. 
The  author  wants  to  make  these  papers  as 
helpful  as  possible,  hence  he  will  present  some 
further  sug-gestions  as  to  the  field  our  petitions 
may  cover.  This  will  be  entirely  unnecessary 
in  the  case  of  many,  yet  there  are  many  who 
think  the  range  is  so  narrow  and  circum- 
scribed. It  is  so  important  to  lead  such  out, 
and  get  them  to  gain  some  conception  of  the 
immensity  of  the  field  this  petition  of  the 
Lord's  prayer  covers. 

In  making  suggestions,  then,  let  me  say 
first  of  all,  do  not  forget  to  thank  God  for 
what  he  has  done;  give  him  full  credit.  So 
often  in  our  approaches  to  the  throne  we  merely 
present  petitions;  we  act  as  if  the  Lord  had 


51 

never  enlarg-ed  Zion,  sent  a  revival,  or  saved 
a  soul.  There  should  be  more  thanksg-iving- 
and  praise,  more  expressions  of  g-ratitude  in 
our  prayers.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  if 
we  were  more  thankful  for  the  spiritual  mer- 
cies bestowed  we  would  have  far  more  of  these 
blessing's  for  which  to  be  thankful. 

Of  course  our  own  personal  interests  are 
not  to  be  overlooked;  our  needs,  our  friends, 
pastor,  church,  our  country. 

We  should  earnestly  plead  for  the  church 
at  larg-e;  that  Christians  may  have  deep,  fer- 
vent piety;  that  they  may  be  built  up  in  Christ, 
sound  in  the  faith;  that  they  may  lead  consis- 
tent, prayerful,  consecrated,  holy  lives,  active 
and  useful  in  the  Master's  service. 

That  ministers  may  be  holy  men  of  God, 
full  of  faith  and  prayer,  wonderfully  anointed 
of  the  Holy  Ghost;  that  they  may  have  g-reat 
wisdom  and  fidelity;  that  they  may  have  an 
abiding  sense  of  the  sacredness  of  their  calling-, 
and  of  the  eternal  interests  involved  in  their 
work;  that  they  may  preach  a  pure  g-ospel,  and 
be  abundantly  blessed  in  building-  up  believera 
and  in  saving  dying-  men, 


52 

That  every  means  of  grace  may  be  blessed; 
that  the  word  may  everywhere  be  accompanied 
by  divine  power.  Here  I  want  to  emphasize, 
the  word  is  powerless  of  itself,  only  as  it  is 
followed  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  can  it  prove  "the 
wisdom  and  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation." 
How  God's  people  should  plead  then,  if  pos- 
sible above  everything-  else,  that  the  g"OSpel, 
however  presented,  may  everywhere  be  at- 
tended by  the  convicting-  and  converting- 
power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Want  of  prayer 
for  the  Holy  Spirit  is  perhaps  the  g-reat  reason 
why  so  many  efforts  to  win  men  to  Christ  are 
without  avail. 

We  should  plead  earnestly  for  the  child- 
ren and  youth,  that  they  may  be  kept  from 
snares,  follies  and  all  evil  influences.  That 
the  schools  may  not  be  irreligious,  tending-  to 
lead  them  astray.  That  they  may  early  be 
broug-ht  into  the  fold,  instructed  and  trained 
up  in  the  service  of  God.  That  they  may  grow 
up  intellig-ent,  industrious,  useful,  prepared  for 
the  duties  and  responsibilities  of  the  life  here, 
and  that  to  come. 

That  the  Lord  may  choose  young  men  who 


53 

shall  preach  the  g^ospel,  at  home  and  abroad. 
That  they  may  be  thoroug-lily  qualified  and 
equipped  for  this  great  work.  Also  that  He 
may  select  young-  women  and  prepare  them  to 
go  as  missionaries,  teachers  or  physicians  to 
the  heathen. 

That  the  gospel  may  be  sent  into  all  the 
earth,  so  that  the  untold  millions  who  have 
never  3'et  heard  of  Christ  may  soon  learn 
the  way  of  salvation.  That  the  missionaries 
ma}^  be  comforted  and  sustained  in  their  work, 
and  may  have  great  success.  That  the  heathen 
may  readily  receive  the  gospel,  be  rapidly 
converted.  That  the  heathen  converts  may 
stand  firm,  be  trained  up  for  the  service  of 
Christ,  and  be  prepared  to  go  forth  to  others 
yet  in  darkness,  learning  the  word  of  life.  So 
that  all  the  ends  of  the  earth  may  soon  hear 
and  turn  to  the  Lord. 

That  greater  benevolence  be  given  to  the 
Lord's  people;  that  they  may  g-ive  more 
largely  of  their  means  to  spread  and  sustain 
the  gospel.  That  all  may  appreciate  what 
a  sweet  privilege  it  is  to  give,  and  that 
the    treasuries   of  all   benevolent   enterprises 


54 

and  institutions  may  be  abundantly  supplied. 

For  the  overthrow  of  intemperance,  pro- 
fanity, gambling-,  Sabbath-breaking-,  and  all 
the  sins  and  vices  that  hinder  the  success  of 
the  gospel  and  ruin  the  souls  of  men.  For 
the  destruction  of  Mohamedanism,  Romanism, 
and  all  forms  of  false  religion  and  of  error, 
that  deceive  men  and  keep  them  from  embrac- 
ing the  gospel  of  Christ.  Where  any  special 
danger  threatens  the  cause  of  Christ,  that  it 
may  be  averted.  This  is  so  often  the  case  in 
foreign  missions — as  during  the  late  China- 
Japan  war;  the  present  designs  of  the  French 
against  Madagascar,  and  the  present  (August, 
1895)  uprising  against  foreigners — especially 
the  missionaries — in  China. 

For  the  speedy  "binding"  of  Satan,  and 
the  removal  of  all  hindrances  to  the  success 
of  the  Lord's  work.  For  the  pouring  out 
of  the  "Spirit  on  all  flesh."  For  the  triumph 
of  the  gospel  in  all  lands,  and  the  speedy  con- 
quest of  the  whole  world  to  Christ. 

Now  these  are  but  a  few  suggestions. 
This  list  might  be  enlarged  almost  indefin- 
itely.     Many   will  wonder  why   these  topics 


55 

were  mentioned,  while  others  of  equal  import- 
ance were  not.  "The  field  is  the  world,"  and 
it  is  not  possible  to  cover  the  entire  g-round. 
It  would  be  well  for  each  one  to  make  out  a 
list  of  those  thing-s  which  weig-h  most  heavily 
upon  his  heart,  and  that  seem  to  him  of 
g-reatest  importance,  and  then  bear  these 
up  before  the  Lord.  In  this  vast  sweep,  dif- 
ferent persons  will  usually  be  led  out  in 
different  directions,  so  that  by  this  wide 
rang-e  of  prayer  the  entire  field  will  be  more 
nearly  covered. 

Would  that  the  eternal  welfare  of  our 
ruined  humanity  could  be  laid  more  heavily 
upon  the  hearts  of  God's  dear  people,  so 
that  they  could  not  help  crying-  to  the  Lord 
with  tearful  earnestness  for  our  g"uilty 
world.  Thank  God  this  does  rest  as  a 
heavy  burden  on  many  hearts,  and  it  almost 
chains  them  to  their  knees.  At  times  when 
some  are  bearing-  these  precious  interests 
before  the  Lord,  the  needs  of  our  lost  world 
start  up  before  them  with  such  startling- 
vividness,  that  they  are  almost  overwhelmed, 
and  they  can  hardly  bring-  themselves  to  cease 


56 


from  pra^^er.     O  that  this  number  were  multi- 
plied by  the  hundred. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Personai.  Responsibiuty. 

/^NE  great  hindrance  to  the  advancement 
^-^  of  God's  king-dom  is  that  the  great  mass 
of  Christians  do  not  realize  their  individual 
responsibility.  They  are  unwilling-  to  recog"- 
nize  that  any  responsibility  rests  upon  them, 
hence  they  are  not  ready  to  shoulder  any  of 
the  burden  of  carrying-  on  the  Lord's  work. 
They  do  not  consider  that  they  are  person- 
ally under  oblig-ation  to  use  their  eiforts  to 
advance  the  cause  of  Christ  and  secure  the  sal- 
vation of  their  fellow-men.  Thus  the  church 
is  not  awake.  She  does  not  come  up  to  the 
help  of  the  Lord.  Too  many  are  "at  ease  in 
Zion."  Plead  with  them  personally  and  try 
to  g-et  them  to  lay  hold  of  the  work  and  they 
are  ready  to  say,  "What  is  that  to  me?"  "Am 
I  my  brother's  keeper?"  It  is  ama.zing-  that 
any  who  have  a  hope  of  eternal  life  can  be  in- 
different to  the  eternal  welfare  of  others,  and 
unwilling-  to  put  forth  efforts  to  save  the  per- 
ishing-. It  seems  impossible  that  any  of  God's 
people  could    look  with  unconcern  upon  those 


58 

around  them — perhaps  in  their  own  family — 
g-oing-  to  ruin. 

In  the  autumn  of  1869  a  steamer  on  the 
Mississipi  river,  heavily  laden  with  precious 
human  freig-ht,  took  fire.  In  a  little  while  the 
proud  steamer  was  a  sheet  of  flames.  While 
all  was  terror  and  confusion,  twelve  men 
jumped  into  the  yawl  and  made  for  the  shore, 
thoug-h  the  boat  would  have  carried  forty  cr 
fifty  persons  as  well.  Having-  arrived  safely 
on  land,  eleven  of  those  men  stubbornly  re- 
fused to  return  to  save  others,  thoug-h  two 
hundred  of  their  fellows  were  strug-g-ling-  in 
the  river,  ready  to  sink  into  a  watery  grave. 
Lang-uag-e  fails  to  express  our  condemnation 
of  such  a  course.  They  had  escaped  the  dan- 
gers of  fire  and  water  unharmed,  yet  they 
would  not  make  the  least  effort  to  save  their 
fellow-men  struggling  there  in  the  jaws  of 
death. 

But  what  shall  be  said  of  those  who  have 
been  saved  by  the  free  grace  of  God,  yet  who 
will  not  do  anything  toward  rescuing  others. 
Having  escaped  the  jaws  of  eternal  death, 
their  fellow-men  perishing  in  sin  around  them 


59 

have  strong-er  claims  upon  them  to  put  forth 
efforts  to  rescue  them  than  those  about  to  be 
destroyed  by  the  billows  of  fire  or  water  had 
upon  those  hard-hearted  wretches,  who  coolly 
looked  upon  that  scene  of  destruction.  It  is 
enoug-h  to  make  the  heart  sick  to  see  the  utter 
indifference  of  so  many  Christians  in  reg-ard 
to  the  salvation  of  others.  Those  who  neg-lect 
this  sacred  duty  render  themselves  liable  to 
be  called  to  a  fearful  account  before  the  bar 
of  God. 

The  g-reat  reason  why  we  should  put  forth 
our  utmost  efforts  to  secure  the  salvation  of 
men,  is  because  God  is  g-lorified  in  every 
soul  that  is  saved.  And  if  we  are  his  people 
we  are  under  the  strong-est  oblig-ations  to  do 
all  we  can  to  promote  that  g"lory;  this  is  to  be 
the  ruling-  purpose  of  the  new  life.  And  there 
is  nothing  that  brings  such  a  tribute  of  glory 
to  the  God  of  Heaven  as  the  salvation  of  guilty 
men.  In  redemption  new  attributes  of  the 
divine  character  are  displayed,  and  all  his  per- 
fections are  made  to  shine  forth  with  new 
luster.  The  divine  power  and  wisdom  are 
seen  from  the  visible  creation.    "The  heavens 


GO 

declare  the  glory  of  God  and  the  firmatient 
showeth  his  handiwork."  But  the  divine  love 
and  mercy — these  tenderer  characteristics — 
are  manifested  in  redemption.  Here  alone  we 
see  the  great  heart  of  God — his  boundless 
love,  his  infinite  mercy.  "Here  the  whole 
deity  is  known."  No  wonder  the  "angels  de- 
sire to  look  into"  these  things,  for  here  only, 
as  far  as  we  are  informed,  can  they  perceive 
certain  traits  of  the  deity.  For,  as  far  as  we 
know,  ours  is  the  only  race  of  fallen  intelli- 
gences to  which  mercy  has  ever  been  shown. 
So  that  God  is  more  honored  in  the  salvation 
of  one  soul  than  in  the  creation  of  a  world, 
because  new  and  higher  attributes  are  dis- 
played in  the  scheme  of  saving  mercy.  All 
created  intelligences  will  behold  the  redeemed 
of  our  race  with  greater  admiration,  with 
more  rapturous  praise,  than  all  creation  be- 
side. To  all  eternity  the  redeemed  will  stand 
as  so  many  monuments,  commemorative  of  the 
divine  love  and  mercy.  And  while  eternity 
lasts,  Jehovah  will  look  with  infinite  satisfac- 
tion upon  the  redeemed,  the  work  af  all  else 
nearest  his  heart.  Redemption  is  his  crowning- 


61 

work,  his  masterpiece.  If  then  we  have  rig-ht 
affections  toward  God  we  must  g-ive  ourselves 
earnestly  to  the  work  of  saving-  men,  which  is 
the  work  uppermost  in  his  mind  and  heart.  In 
being"  zealous  for  the  upbuilding-  of  his  king"- 
dom  we  are  zealous  for  his  g-lory. 

Then  how  we  should  feel  for  the  unsaved! 
For  it  is  such  an  awful  thing-  for  a  soul  to  be 
lost.  It  is  impossible  for  us  to  fully  weig-h 
eternal  wretchedness;  but  O  how  dreadful  to 
be  banished  forever  from  the  presence  of  God; 
to  have  to  dwell  under  his  awful  wrath  ag-ainst 
sin,  a  prey  to  fiery  remorse;  a  companion  of 
the  damned  from  all  worlds.  And  all  this 
without  one  ray  of  hope  for  the  future.  That 
dreadful  word  "forever"  is  written  upon  the 
penalty  of  the  law;  upon  the  divine  justice; 
over  the  entrance  to  the  dark  prison-house; 
upon  the  flames  of  hell.  And  shall  we  be  in- 
different to  the  fate  of  our  fellow-creatures? 
Shall  we  look  with  unconcern  upon  the  multi- 
tudes throng-ing-  the  way  to  destruction  and 
make  no  attempt  to  save  them?  When  we 
are  so  aroused,  when  our  fellows  are  in  tem- 
poral dangler,  and  will  risk  our  lives  even  for 


62 

their  help,  shall  we  be  indifferent  when  they 
are  in  dang-er  of  eternal  destruction?  How 
can  we  ever  appear  insensible  to  their  eternal 
interests? 

Thank  God  some  are  alive  to  these  great 
concerns;  some  are  burdened  for  the  eternal 
welfare  of  dying-  men.  Such  was  Henry 
Martyn,  of  precious  memory.  Seeming-ly 
almost  any  position  in  the  realm  of  Britian 
was  open  to  him.  He  turned  away  from  them 
all,  and  from  one  dearer  to  him  than  life,  to 
bury  his  talents — as  some  look  at  it — as  a 
missionary  in  India.  After  laboring-  there 
for  years,  without  seeing-  scarcely  any  results, 
he  cried:  "I  could  bear  to  be  torn  limb  from 
limb  if  I  could  but  hear  a  Hindoo  ask,  'What 
must  I  do  to  be  saved?'  " 

This  same  all-consuming-  fire  burned  in 
the  heart  of  a  young-  man  who  soug-ht  appoint- 
ment as  a  missionary.  Said  he  to  the  Board 
of  Missions:  "Gentlemen,  send  me  to  Africa, 
send  me  to  Africa.  I  know  the  climate  is  a 
deadly  one,  but  if  I  can  but  die  there  I  ask  no 
more."  And  as  he  lay  dying-  in  that  torrid 
clime,  turning-  to  his  friends  he  said:  "Never 


63 

mind  me;  let  thousands  of  us  di^,  only  let 
Africa  be  saved." 

This  passion  for  souls  had  possession  of 
a  Welsh  preacher.  "I  am,"  said  he,  "a  broken- 
hearted man.  God  has  given  me  such  a  sig-ht 
of  the  value  of  precious  souls  that  I  cannot 
live  if  they  are  not  saved."  This  all-absorbing 
desire  for  the  salvation  of  men  is  felt  by 
thousands  in  the  ministr3\  Ever  before  their 
eyes  is  a  great  throng  rushing  to  destruction, 
and  the  query  forces  itself  upon  them,  "What 
can  I  do  to  rescue  them?"  Often  this  feeling 
is  so  intense  they  can  scarcely  eat  or  sleep. 
Plenty  of  men,  women  and  children  in  our 
churches  have  a  yearning  desire  for  the  wel- 
fare of  the  unsaved.  Their  very  "heart's  de- 
sire and  prayer  to  God"  is  that  the  perishing 
may  be  brought  to  Christ. 

But  the  question  is,  how  can  this  desire 
help  but  glow  in  the  breasts  of  all  Christians? 
When  the  glory  of  God  is  so  intimately  in- 
volved and  the  souls  of  men  are  beyond  all 
value,  why  are  not  all  believers  pleading  with 
burthened  hearts  for  a  display  of  his  saving 
power  ever3^where?     If  Christians  were  only 


64 

awake  and  on  the  alert!  In  a  church  or  com- 
munity where  a  few  become  burdened  for 
souls  and  are  crying-  to  God  for  salvation,  we 
say  a  revival  has  begun.  Now  should  this  be- 
come g-eneral  throughout  Christendom,  if  be- 
lievers, the  v^orld  over,  v^^ere  to  become  deeply 
concerned  for  the  unsaved,  and  should  wrestle 
on  their  b2half  "with  strong  crying  and 
tears,"  how  the  windows  of  Heaven  would 
open;  what  mighty  blessings  would  descend  in 
all  parts  of  the  earth. 

And  how  often  the  Beloved  comes  to  his 
people  while  they  are  absorbed  in  worldly 
cares  and  pleasures,  seeking  to  arouse  them 
from  their  slumbers.  He  knocks  tenderly, 
lovingly.  His  voice  comes  plaintively,  "What, 
could  ye  not  watch  with  me  one  hour?"  He 
needs  their  prayers,  their  service,  their  in- 
fluence. And  there  he  stands  knocking,  plead- 
ing, "Till  his  head  is  filled  with  the  dew,  and 
his  locks  with  the  drops  of  the  night."  Yet 
multitudes  of  his  people,  in  love  with  slum- 
ber, satisfied  with  their  ease,  resist  all  these 
tender  appeals,  and  the  dear  Saviour  has  to 
turn  weeping  away.     Dear  reader  has  he  thus 


65 

been  calling- to  you,  and  shall  he  call  longer  in 
vain? 

And  is  not  the  Lord  at  the  present  time 
saying-  to  the  church  universal,  "Now  it  is 
high  time  to  awake  out  of  sleep."  "Awake, 
awake,  put  on  thy  strength  O  Zion."  But  the 
only  way  for  the  church  to  awake  is  for  the 
individual  members  to  awake.  That  is  the 
very  thing  I  want  to  do;  as  far  as  I  can  secure 
the  attention  of  God's  people  I  want  to  say, 
"Brother,  sister,  you  are  personally  respon- 
sible for  the  prosperity  of  the  kingdom,  and 
for  the  salvation  of  dying  men.  By  the  help 
of  God  rise  clear  up  to  your  responsibility,  so 
as  to  clear  your  skirts  of  the  blood  of  all  men." 
How  can  you  bear  the  thought,  my  dear  friend, 
of  giving  up  your  account  at  last  to  God,  and 
of  facing  the  unsaved  within  your  influence 
then,  unless  you  have  endeavored,  as  far  as 
you  could,  to  bring  them  to  Christ?  Would 
that  there  were  a  trumpet  that  could  as  effec- 
tually waken  slumbering  Christians  as  the  one 
that  will  be  heard  on  the  resurrection  mornings 
awakening  the  dead. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Obstaci.es  in  the  Way. 

'T^HKRE  have  been  frequent  occasions  for 
•*■  mentioning-  the  difficulties  in  the  way 
of  building-  up  the  cause  of  the  Redeemer. 
These  obstacles  may  be  divided  into  those  that 
are  preventable — as  far  as  Christians  are  con- 
cerned— and  those  that  are  not  preventable. 
It  would  not  be  profitable,  perhaps,  to  notice 
those  which  are  beyond  our  power  to  prevent, 
but  I  wish  to  consider  some  of  the  other  class, 
so  that  they  may  be  avoided.  As  far  as  in  us 
lies,  we  should  remove  every  obstacle  out  of 
the  way  of  the  advancement  of  the  king-dom, 
and  we  should  be  extremely  careful  that  we 
place  none  in  the  way.  But  too  often  Christians; 
by  their  conduct,  do  place  hindrances  in  the 
way,  thus  perhaps  preventing-  the  answer  to 
their  most  fervent  prayers. 

One  g-reat  dang-er  threatening-  the  church 
of  the  future  is  that  the  Sabbath  school  child- 
ren do  not  attend  church.  Nearly  the  only 
exception  to  this  is  where  the  parents  live  in 
the  country,  hence,  on  account  of  the  convey- 


ance,  the  children  of  necessity  have  to  remain 
for  church,  but  take  it  in  towns  and  cities;  at 
the  close  of  the  school  a  break  is  made  for  the 
door,  and  nearly  every  scholar  leaves  the  house 
of  God,  to  be  seen  there  no  more  till  time  for 
school  the  next  Sabbath.  And  so  many  of 
these  scholars,  when  they  get  up  in  their 
teens,  graduate  from  the  Sunday  school;  then 
they  are  done  with  the  church.  Any  number 
of  people,  with  families  growing-  up  around 
them,  seldom  or  never  attend  a  place  of  wor- 
ship. Speak  to  them  about  it,  they  will  reply, 
"O  yes,  we  used  to  attend  Sunday  school,  but 
we  were  never  accustomed  to  attend  church." 
Now,  as  far  as  Christian  parents  are  con- 
cerned, this,  to  a  great  extent,  can  be  reme- 
died. It  is  their  duty  to  see  that  their  child- 
ren go  to  church.  While  it  is  best,  if  possible, 
to  avoid  compulsion,  if  the  proper  course  is 
pursued  they  can  usually  secure  their  attend- 
ance. In  city  churches  some  children  have 
grown  up  and  have  never  known  anything  else 
but  to  be  at  the  church  services.  As  a  rule 
these  early  come  to  the  Saviour  and  become 
pillars  in   the   church.      On   the   other   hand 


6S 

those  who  have  only  gfone  to  the  Sabbath 
school,  if  they  are  converted  they  do  not 
usually  have  a  clear  understanding-  of  the  g-os- 
pel  and  of  Christian  duty,  as  they  have  not 
been  accustomed  to  g-o  to  church,  so  often 
they  are  by  no  means  regular  in  their  attend- 
ance. So  there  is  a  g-reat  liability  of  their 
abandoning-  their  profession,  or  at  best  plod- 
ding- on,  mere  nominal  members.  Christian 
parents  should  endeavor  by  all  means  to  cor- 
rect this  neglect  of  the  sanctuary  by  their 
children.  There  is  not  a  more  beautiful  sight, 
nor  one  more  inspiring  to  the  pastor,  than  to 
see  the  children  at  church. 

Another  danger  is  a  disregard  of  the  Sab- 
bath. Religion  cannot  be  maintained  without 
the  observance  of  the  Sabbath,  and  the  near- 
er the  distinction  is  broken  down  between 
this  and  other  days,  the  less  power  the  religion 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  will  exert.  And  this  dis- 
tinction in  these  latter  days  is  becoming 
pretty  well  obliberated.  I  do  not  refer  now 
to  Sabbath  desecration  by  the  railroads,  by 
Sunday  excursions,  concerts  in  the  parks,, 
base  ball  games,  open  saloons,  etc.,  only  in  so 


69 

far  as  Christians  lend  their  influence  and  their 
patronag-e  to  these  monstrous  sins.  I  refer 
more  particularly  to  the  Sabbath  desecration 
that  has  been  creeping-  into  Christian  homes, 
such  as  doing-  marketing-  and  other  unneces- 
sary work  on  the  Sabbath;  traveling-  on  the 
Lord's  day,  especially  on  the  trains;  reading- 
Sunday  newspapers  and  other  improper  read- 
ing- on  the  Sabbath. 

This  is  not  near  the  end  of  the  list,  but  it 
is  enoug-h  to  show  how  Sabbath  distinction  is 
fading-  out;  how  the  day  is  disreg-arded  by 
many  professors  of  relig-ion.  Here  is  a  loud 
call  for  reform.  It  is  astonishing-  how  many 
members  of  churches  will  put  off  going-  a 
journey  of  business,  pleasure  or  visiting-  until 
the  Sabbath.  We  cannot  say  really  that  the 
Sunday  trains  and  newspapers  would  have  to 
stop  if  members  of  churches  should  withold 
their  patronag-e,  but  it  would  be  a  serious  loss 
to  these  institutions  of  iniquity.  And  it  seems 
there  ought  to  be  piety  and  principle  in  the 
churches  to  stop  a  great  deal  of  it.  This  pro- 
fanation of  the  Lord's  day  by  professed 
Christians   is   a  reproach  to  religion,   in   the 


70 

eyes  of  worldly  people,  and  no  doubt  causes 
the  Lord  very  often  to  refuse  to  bestow  his 
blessing-  upon  the  church. 

Then  the  almost  constant  change  of  pas- 
tors is  a  g-reat  hindrance  to  the  Lord's  work. 
1 1  used  to  be  that  when  a  young-  man  was  set- 
tled  in  his  first  charg-e  he  was  expected  to 
spend  his  entire  ministry  there.  But  we,  es- 
pecially in  the  w^est,  have  fallen  upon  evil 
times,  in  this  respect.  The  averag-e  length  of 
the  pastorate,  in  the  denominations  that 
choose  their  own  pastors,  is  not  much  over 
two  years.  The  pastor  and  his  family  hardly 
become  acquainted  with  the  people,  so  as  to 
do  efficient  work,  when  they  have  to  leave. 
There  are  many  reasons  for  this  sad  state  of 
affairs.  One  of  the  most  common  is  a  disposi- 
tion on  the  part  of  so  many  church  members  to 
take  up  little,  trivial  thing-s  ag-ainst  the  pas- 
tor. Often  these  are  really  not  worthy  of  men- 
tion, yet  they  are  brooded  over,  talked  about, 
till  the  poor  man  has  to  leave.  But  so  fre- 
quently in  driving-  him  away  the  church  is 
split  into  two  factions,  and  when  the  next  man 
comes,  one  or  the  other  is  opposed  to  l^m,  and 


71 

soon  fig-hts  him  .away.  Thus  a  squabble  is 
at  times  kept  up  from  one  generation  to 
another. 

And  there  is  nothing-  that  more  effectually 
prevents  the  Lord's  work  than  such  strife. 
The  Holy  Spirit  is  g-rieved  away  and  the  peo- 
ple of  the  world  are  turned  ag-ainst  the  church 
and  often  to  infidelity.  When  a  pastor  is  set- 
tled every  member  who  desires  the  welfare  of 
the  cause  of  Christ  should  accept  the  situation 
and  do  his  utmost  to  make  his  work  a  success. 

Sometimes,  however,  it  is  the  pastor's 
fault.  He  is  ambitious,  restless  or  discour- 
ag-ed,  so  he  tears  himself  away.  And  often 
the  Lord  whips  him  for  it,  just  as  he  fre- 
quently does  a  clique  in  a  church  that  unjustly 
turns  the  pastor  away.  Both  pastor  and  peo- 
ple often  see  afterwards  that  it  would  have 
been  better  to  have  reg-arded  that  shrewd 
advice : 

'"Tis  better  to  endure  the  ills  we  have 

Than  fly  to  others  that  we  know  not  of." 
Or   the   advice   of   the    apostle,    "Be   content 
with  such  thing's  as  ye  have."      Is  there  no 
way  to  stop  this  constant  chang-e,  which  en- 


72 

tails  such  dreadful  hardships  upon  the  pastor 
and  his  family,  and  works  such  injury  to  the 
cause  of  Christ. 

The  tendency  to  ritualism  is  another  dan- 
ger now  threatening-  the  Protestant  churches. 
This  is  a  very  insidious  foe.  It  comes  clothed 
in  such  an  innocent  g-arb  and  g-lides  in  so 
stealthily.  But  it  is  nevertheless  a  deadly  foe 
to  relig-ion.  The  history  of  the  church  shows 
that  it  blig-hts  and  destroys  true  piety.  And 
it  is  so  cong-enial  to  the  human  heart.  We 
would  so  much  rather  pay  our  worship  by 
mere  forms  and  ceremonies  than  by  sincere 
heart  worship.  But  our  Saviour  declared- 
*'God  is  a  Spirit,  and  they  that  worship  hiivj 
must  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth." 
The  Almig-hty  cannot  be  put  off  by  a  set  of 
rites  and  ceremonies,  however  beautiful  or 
aesthetic. 

And  there  is  no  question,  ritualism  is 
creeping-  into  our  churches.  Look  at  the  way 
Christmas  and  Kaster  are  observed,  and  Good 
Friday  and  other  days  are  being-  taken  up. 
Great  strides  have  been  taken  in  this  direction 
during^  tbe  last  |^w  years.     If  many  gi  our 


73 

fathers  and  motliers  who  went  liome  to  their 
rest  onl}'  twenty  or  thirty  years  ag-o  should 
return  to  earth  and  enter  their  old  church  on 
Easter  morning-  they  would  perhaps  exclaim, 
"What,  am  I  in  a  Catholic  church?"  Nowldonot 
say  that  this  has  gone  so  far  as  to  be  actually 
wrong,  but  the  danger  is,  "Whereunto  these 
things  may  grow."  After  the  Arab's  camel 
got  his  nose  into  the  tent  it  was  not  long  be- 
fore he  was  clear  in,  and  there  was  no  room 
for  anything  else.  It  seems  now  that  the 
camel  of  ritualism  was  getting  his  nose  pretty 
well  into  some  of  our  churches,  and  the  sad 
havoc  that  ritualism  has  wrought  in  what  was 
once  pure,  spiritual  churches,  ought  to  be  a 
warning-  to  all  who  desire  a  pure  church  to  be 
maintained.  The  only  safe  way  is  to  adhere 
to  the  old  Latin  adage,  "Obsta  principia," 
("resist  the  first  beginnings.")  Don't  let  the 
destroyer  get  a  foothold.  Zealously  maintain 
a  simple,  spirit  ual  worship. 

Still  another  danger  that  appears  to  be 
growing,  is  an  inordinate  selfishness.  This  is 
the  natural  tendency.  As  the  country  in- 
creases in  wealth  the  love  of  pleasure   and  of 


74 

luxury  is  liable  to  increase,  and  people  are  un- 
willing- to  make  self-denials  for  the  sake  of 
Christ.  I  was  startled  lately  by  what  a  re- 
turned missionary  said  to  me.  Hfe  had  been 
g-one  some  ten  years,  and  he  said  since  his  re- 
turn he  could  notice  that  during-  that  time  a 
desire  for  self-indulg-ence  and  luxury  had  been 
g-rowing-  among-  the  churches,  and  an  unwill- 
ing-ness  to  make  sacrifices  for  the  Master.  He 
was  fearful  for  the  consequences  upon  the 
work  of  foreig-n  missions.  He  may  have  been, 
mistaken,  3^et  it  is  evident  that  there  is  not 
that  willing-ness  to  make  any  and  every  sacrifice 
for  the  dear  Master,  there  should  be.  Christians 
are  so  far  from  reaching-  the  example  of  him 
*'Who  thoug^h  he  was  rich,  yet  for  our  sakes 
became  poor." 

And  just  in  the  degree  that  Christians  are 
selfish;  loving-  ease  and  luxury,  and  unwilling* 
to  make  sacrifices,  in  that  deg-ree  they  are 
shorn  of  their  power,  consequently  in  the  same 
degree  the  cause  of  the  Redeemer  must  lan- 
guish. There  is  an  intimate  and  direct  con- 
nection, in  this  respect,  as  cause  and  effect. 
Nor  was  there  ever  a  time  when  the  Lord's 


75 

work  demanded  greater  sacrifices  than  now; 
in  wrestling"  prayer,  in  devoting-  time,  effort 
and  money  to  the  work,  and  in  g-iving-  self  up 
to  be  wholly  the  Lord's.  Why  is  it  that  all 
God's  people  cannot  rise  to  the  thoug^ht  of  the 
exalted  privileg-e  of  making-  sacrifices  for  the 
precious  Saviour  and  for  the  souls  of  men. 

But  I  wish  to  speak  more  particularly  of 
g-iving-  our  means.  What  a  crying  need  there 
is  for  money  now,  to  carry  on  the  Lord's  work. 
What  larg-e  and  white  fields,  at  home  and 
abroad,  cannot  be  improved  for  lack  of  means. 
In  benig-hted  lands  many  of  the  heathen,  re- 
mote from  mission  stations,  have  learned  some- 
thing- of  the  gospel,  and  of  the  blessed  results 
of  the  work  of  the  missionaries.  And  they 
often  come  long  distances,  pleading  that  mis- 
sionaries may  be  sent  to  them.  But,  although 
there  are  applicants  at  home  waiting  to  be 
sent  to  just  such  openings,  yet  these  requests 
so  often  have  to  be  denied  for  lack  of  funds. 
And  how  hard  to  refuse  these  pressing  en- 
treaties. There  needs  to  be  a  revival,  at  pres- 
ent, on  the  line  of  benevolence.  So  many  are 
unwilling  to  give  of  their  abundance;  others 


76 

are  unwilling-  to  exercise  economy  and  self- 
denial  in  order  that  they  may  be  able  to  g-ive; 
as  a  consequence  the  chariot  wheels  of  salva- 
tion frequently  move  slowly,  and  precious  souls 
have  to  perish  in  darkness,  without  a  knowl- 
edg-e  of  the  Saviour. 

Will  not  every  one  g-ive  then,  "As  God 
has  prospered  him?"  That  is  the  standard, 
and  it  is  certainly  a  reasonable  one.  And  no 
person  loses  anything-  by  giving-.  The  Lord 
usually  more  than  makes  it  up.  Then,  if  we 
give  from  the  right  motive,  we  are  "laying  up 
treasures  in  Heaven,"  increasing  our  gracious 
and  eternal  reward.  Besides,  our  money  will 
do  such  good  employed  in  the  Lord's  work; 
will  bring  such  glory  to  our  divine  Christ,  and 
will  help  to  save  undying  souls.  It  seems 
wondrous  strange  that  all  Christians  cannot 
rise  to  the  appreciation  of  the  "luxury  of  giv- 
ing." It  is  a  duty  to  give — yes,  it  is  a  sacred 
duty — but,  O,  my  friend,  it  is  a  far  sweeter 
privilege. 

Here  I  want  to  address  any  of  my  readers 
to  whom  the  Lord  has  given  large  wealth. 
There  are  many  true  Christians,  in  nearly  all 


77 

denominations,  who,  in  the  providence  of 
God,  have  great  possessions — some  are  mil- 
lionaires. Brethren,  one  of  the  most  desirable 
thing-s  in  the  world  is  to  have  larg-e  wealth,  so 
as  to  be  able  to  make  larg-e  benefactions  to 
worthy  objects,  and  it  thus  affords  such  an 
opportunity  of  helping-  on  the  king-dom.  But, 
brethren,  it  will  be  a  fearful  thing-  to  meet  our 
Judg-e  if  we  have  kept  our  talents  selfishly 
hoarded  up,  instead  of  employing-  them  in  the 
Master's  service.  Larg-e  wealth  bring-s  in- 
creased responsibility,  and  may  God  deliver 
you  from  the  awful  fate  of  your  money  burn- 
ings on  your  conscience  like  molten  lava  in  the 
eternal  world. 

Meet  your  responsibilities,  then,  brethren. 
Give  largely  of  your  means  to  the  cause  of 
your  Master,  and  thus  be  prepared  to  receive 
an  approving  verdict  from  your  final  Judge. 
"He  is  worthy."  He  has  redeemed  you  with 
his  own  heart's  blood,  and  has  bestowed  upon 
you  all  that  you  possess.  Bring,  then,  your 
princely  gifts  and  lay  them  at  your  Redeemer's 
feet.  And  bestow  your  gifts  during  your  life- 
time— at  least  a  share  of  them — while  you  can 


78 

be  your  own  executor.  It  seems  rather  selfish 
to  hold  onto  our  money  till  we  can  hold  no 
long"er,  then  make  provision  for  g-iving-  it  to 
the  Lord.  Besides,  when  it  is  bequeathed,  so 
often  it  never  reaches  its  object — the  lawyers 
g-et  it.  There  is  also  such  a  satisfaction  in 
knowing-  that  our  money  is  doing-  g-ood  while 
we  are  living-. 

One  g-reat  reason  why  so  many  persons  of 
large  wealth  do  not  g-ive  more  largely  is  they 
feel  that  they  must  leave  their  fortune  to  their 
family  and  relatives.  Now  God  forbid  that  I 
should  advocate  WTonging-  the  dear  ones. 
They  shotild  be  v/ell  cared  for.  Due  provision 
should  be  made  for  them.  That  is  but  just 
and  right.  But  let  me  remind  the  wealthy 
that  they  are  under  g-rea.ter  obligations  to 
their  Redeemer  than  to  any  earthly  relations, 
and  He,  of  all  others,  should  not  be  wronged. 
And  frequently  the  fortune  that  is  left  for  the 
family  does  them  no  real  good;  it  goes  in 
legal  contests;  or  if  it  does  reach  the  family  it 
really  proves  a  curse  to  some  of  them. 

In  view  of  what  constantly  comes  under 
observation,    there   can   be   no    very     strong 


70 

inducements    to  bequeath   larg-e    fortunes   to 
relatives. 

Oh  that  the  Lord's  people  who  have  been 
entrusted  with  g-reat  wealth,  or  with  only 
moderate  means,  may  lay  these  thing-s  to 
heart,  especially  at  this  time,  when  there  is 
such  a  crisis  for  funds  to  carry  on  the  work. 
If  some  of  our  multi-millionaires  would  g-ive  a 
million  or  more  dollars  for  the  work  of  foreign 
missions,  what  an  amount  of  g-ood  they  could 
do.  Funds  are  so  needed  for  that  work,  and 
at  present  there  are  larg-er  results,  in  the  way 
of  conversions,  in  proportion  to  the  number  of 
workers,  in  foreig-n  than  in  work  at  home. 
And  the  pressure  for  money  for  the  work  at 
home  is  about  as  g-reat.  What  an  opportunity 
for  people  of  wealth  to  come  to  the  help  of  the 
Lord.  This  is  an  emerg-ency  that  will  deter- 
mine whether  the  love  of  Christ  or  of  self  is 
stronger — a  testing-  time.  May  the  Lord  open 
hearts  to  respond  to  humanity's  need  in  such  a 
way  as  to  show  the  sweet,  the  all-constraining 
power  of  Jesus'  love* 


CHAPTER  XL 

Young  Pe:opi.k's  Societies  and  thk  Coming 
OF  THE  Kingdom. 

'yHK  ''Christian  Endeavor"  and  the  other 
^  societies  for  young-  people  are  one  of  the 
most  hopeful  features  of  the  church  of  the 
future.  They  wonderfully  brig-hten  the  pros- 
pect for  the  spread  of  the  gospel.  These 
societies  are  doing-  such  a  work  in  helping- 
and  encourag-ing-  young-  converts,  and  in  de- 
veloping- and  training-  them  for  the  I^ord's 
service.  This  is  a  work  that  has  always 
been  needed,  and  it  is  curious  that  some 
method  such  as  this  had  not  been  devised 
centuries  ag-o.  Every  person  is  ready  to  ask, 
*'How  did  the  church  manage  to  do  so  long 
without  them?" 

One  of  the  best  features  of  these  societies 
is  that  they  accustom  the  young  people  to 
take  part  in  prayer.  Young  Christians  need  to 
learn  to  pray.  They  should  be  drawn  out  in 
prayer  from  their  very  entrance  upon  the  new 
life.  Unless  they  take  up  this  duty  then,  they 
are  apt  to  neglect   it  afterward.     Now  these 


81 

societies  come  rig-ht  in  and  tend  to  do  this  very 
thing-,  and  the  proportion  of  young-  people  who 
take  part  in  prayer  now  is  vastly  g-reater  than 
it  was  duringf  the  last  g-eneration.  Where 
these  societies  have  done  their  work  the  situ- 
ation in  a  church  cannot  be  like  one  that  was 
reported  some  years  ag-o.  There  were  some 
seventy  or  eig-hty  members  in  the  church,  and 
of  all  that  number  only  four  or  five  would  take 
part  in  the  prayer  meeting-s. 

Not  only  so,  the  young-  people  are  now 
put  to  work;  these  societies  g-et  them  rig-ht 
into  the  traces.  They  are  thus  trained  for 
active  service.  Usually  pastors  now  lean 
g-reatly  upon  their  young-  people.  When  they 
want  anything-  done  they  know  just  where  to 
lay  the  hand  upon  the  ones  to  do  it. 

Thus  new  blood  and  vig-or  are  broug-ht 
into  almost  every  department  of  the  Lord's 
work. 

When  we  think  back  we  are  almost  aston- 
ished that  the  churches  accomplished  as  much 
as  they  did  when  there  was  so  much  latent 
ower,  useless  material,  such  undeveloped 
ources.      Since  these   energ-ies    have   been 


82 

awakened  and  this  latent  power  broug-ht  into 
activity,  her  growth  must  be  more  rapid,  her 
conquests  must  be  g-reater.  To  me,  the 
young-  people's  societies  is  one  of  the  g-randest 
movements  of  modern  times. 

But  while  all  this  is  true,  I  am  pro- 
foundly convinced  that,  as  yet,  these  societies, 
or  at  least  many  of  them,  are  far  from  do- 
ing- as  efficient  work  as  they  should.  There 
are  "Dead  flies  in  the  ointment."  As  I  have 
attended  these  societies,  in  different  places, 
several  defects  in  the  method  of  conducting- 
them  have  deeply  impressed  me.  One  of  the 
most  serious  is  the  little  time  devoted  to 
prayer.  Not  always,  but  so  largely.  Often 
there  are  only  one  or  two  brief  prayers  in  the 
whole  hour.  Now  this  is  not  waiting-  upon 
the  Lord  for  his  blessing-  as  they  should. 
They  should  earnestly  seek  the  divine  bless- 
ing- to  rest  down  on  all  the  varied  interests. 

Ag-ain,  this   affords   little   opportunity  to 
draw  those  who  need  it  out  in  prayer.     And 
if  the   young-  people  do  not  learn  to  pray   i^ 
these  societies  they    fail  in    a  very  importr 
particular. 


83 

Then  is  so  mati}^  instances  there  is  a  de- 
fect in  the  Bible  study.  The  leader,  perhaps, 
copies  the  references  on  slips;  he  takes  these 
to  the  meeting-,  hands  them  around,  and  the 
members  simply  read  these  verses  from  the 
slips.  Here  there  is  no  real  study  of  the 
word.  Even  the  leader  did  not  search  out 
references  bearing-  on  the  topic,  he  merely 
copied  them  from  some  paper.  The  leader 
and  every  member  oug-ht  to  "Search  the 
Scriptures"  for  passag-es  bearing-  on  every 
topic,  and  they  should  be  able  to  give  some 
thoug-ht  which  the  passag-e  contains. 

Frequently,  also,  there  is  very  little 
speaking-  in  the  meeting-s,  and  the  young-  are 
not  led  out  in  this  direction.  Even  on  "con- 
secration," or  experience  day  nearly  all  con- 
tent themselves  by  reading  a  verse.  I  have  been 
surprised  to  see  those  who  had  been  members 
of  the  church  for  years  and  ought  to  be  able  to 
to  speak  intelligentl}^  and  with  profit;  yet  they 
scarcely  ever  pretend  to  say  a  word.  Now 
those  who  attend  these  meetings  should  gather 
ideas  and  learn  to  express  them.  If  they  do 
not,  the  society  does  not  do  the  work  it  should. 


84 

But,  as  has  been  said,  these  societies, 
with  their  defects,  have  done  a  great  work. 
They  are  training-  up  and  fitting  the  present 
g-eneration  for  service,  as  no  former  one  has 
ever  been.  They  are  an  important  factor  in 
the  future  prog-ress  of  the  church.  They 
possess  almost  untold  possibilities  for  useful- 
ness. And  owing-  to  the  ag-ency  of  these 
societies,  I,  for  one  at  least,  am  looking-  for- 
ward for  a  more  speedy  and  powerful  coming 
of  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 

Here  let  me  beseech  all  young  Christians 
who  read  these  pages  to  lay  themselves  out  in 
prayer  for  the  upbuilding  of  the  kingdom. 
Take  a  deep  concern,  young  friends,  in  these 
great  interests.  Rest  not  satisfied  until  the 
welfare  of  Zion  and  of  the  souls  of  men  weigh 
heavily  upon  your  hearts.  Endeavor  to  get 
into  full  sympathy  with  the  dear  Saviour  in 
what  he  endured  to  provide  redemption. 
You  know  the  self-denial  and  the  dreadful 
anguish  it  cost  him.  Try  to  attain  something 
of  that  same  love  for  perishing  men,  and  a 
willingness  to  make  any  sacrifice  to  win  them 
to  Christ  and  to  Heaven. 


85 

Also  reflect  much  upon  the  worth  of  the 
soul,  and  what  an  awful  thing-  it  is  for  any  to 
be  lost.  If  these  things  lie  tenderly  on  your 
hearts,  the  love  of  Christ  and  of  the  souls  of 
men  will  constrain  you  to  do  all  in  your  power 
to  save  men.  O  if  these  things  are  only  im- 
pressed upon  you,  there  will  be  no  trouble 
about  you  praying-  for  them.  You  could  not 
help  but  pray.  Pour  out  your  very  hearts  in 
prayer  for  the  perishing.  Wrestle  as  long  as 
you  live  in  behalf  of  the  dying.  Thus  only 
can  your  skirts  be  clear. 

Remember,  young  friends,  your  responsi- 
bility; that  to  an  extent  3^ou  are  accountable 
for  the  salvation  of  lost  men.  It  will  be  a  fear- 
ful thing  when  we  stand  before  the  bar  of 
God,  not  to  be  able  to  say  with  the  Apostle: 
"I  am  clear  of  the  blood  of  all  men."  And  if 
you  begin  to  pray  for  the  perishing  in  your 
early  years  and  follow  it  up  as  long  as  you 
live,  eternity  only  can  reveal  what  your 
prayers  have  accomplished.  When,  also,  you 
come  to  stand  before  the  throne,  you  will 
have  a  crown  studded  with  the  brightest 
jewels   to  lay  at  your  Redeemer's  feet.     And 


86 

you  will  hear  from  his  g-racious  lips  the  ap- 
proval, "Well  done,  g-ood  and  faithful  ser- 
vant." And  in  the  eternal  world  many  will 
come  and  thank  you  for  being-  the  means  of 
their  salvation. 

What  say  you,  young-  friends?  Will  you 
lead  a  life  of  prayer?  Will  you  plead  with 
brokenness  of  heart  for  the  perishing-,  and  do 
what  you  can  by  personal  effort  for  their  sal- 
vation? Or  will  you  g-ive  the  lost,  occasion  to 
complain,  "No  man  cares  for  my  soul?" 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Will   You   Not   Pray   For  Thk    Kingdom. 

TN  VIEW,  therefore,  of  the  g-lory  of  God  and 
^  the  salvation  of  immortal  souls,  I  do  en- 
treat all  God's  people  to  g-ive  themselves  to 
lives  of  prayer.  Brethren,  plead  as  the  days, 
months  and  years  roll  by  for  the  upbuilding- of 
the  Redeemer's  king-dom,  and  for  the  eternal 
welfare  of  dying-  men.  The  soul  is  so  prec- 
ious; such  eternal  interests  are  involved  in  the 
case  of  ever^^  human  soul;  it  is  such  an  awful 
thing-  for  an3'one  to  g-o  down  to  darkness  and 
death;  yet  v/hat  multitudes  are  perishing-!  As 
you  consider  the  vast  multitudes  who  have 
never  heard  of  the  way  of  life  and  are  perish- 
ing- in  darkness,  and  the  millions  in  Christian 
lands  who  enjoy  the  lig"ht,  but  are  spurning- 
the  Saviour,  how  can  you  fail  to  plead  that 
God  may  bring-  all  men  to  a  saving-  knowledg-e 
of  the  Ivord  Jesus?  O,  if  all  Christians  only 
did  this,  how  much  more  rapidly  the  king-dom 
of  God  would  come,  and  how  many  more 
would  be  spared  from  dying-  "Without  God 
and   without    hope!"     Will   not  those   in   our 


88 

churches  especially,  who  are  long-ing-  for  some- 
thing- to  do  for  the  dear  Master,  take  to 
pleading-  with  all  the  heart  "Thy  King-dom 
Come"? 

And  would  that  I  could  induce  ag-ed 
Christians  to  spend  the  remainder  of  their 
days  in  prayer.  There  are  many  aged  minis- 
ters who  have  had  to  retire  from  active  ser- 
vice; and  there  are  other  Christians  who  are 
reg-retting-  that  their  days  of  usefulness  are 
past,  and  that  all  they  can  now  do  is  to  await 
the  summons,  "It  is  enoug-h,  come  uphig-her." 
Yet  if  these  worn  out  veterans  should  spend 
what  remains  to  them  of  life  in  pleading-  for 
the  coming-  of  Christ's  king-dom,  they  could  ac- 
complish more,  perhaps,  than  in  their  days  of 
active  service.  Thus  their  declining-  years 
mig-ht  bear  the  most  abundant  fruit. 

And  would  it  not  be  a  g-rand  thing-  for  all 
Christendom  to  observe  a  year  of  special 
prayer  for  the  outpouring-  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in 
all  the  earth,  and  for  the  salvation  of  men? 
We  are  so  inclined  to  do  what  everybody  else 
is  doing- — even  if  it  is  praying- — that  if  a 
twelve  months  were  set  apart  for  special  pray- 


89 

er,  so  many  more  would  join  in  earnest  pray- 
er. "The  Week  of  Prayer"  has  secured  the 
most  g-racious  results;  large  harvests  of  prec- 
ious souls  have  been  gathered  into  the  fold  as 
the  fruit  of  its  observance.  What  grand  re- 
sults then  might  reasonably  be  expected  if  all 
the  Lord's  people,  in  all  parts  of  the  earth, 
were  to  spend  a  year  in  wrestling  for  the  de- 
scent of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  for  the  salvation 
of  the  perishing?  Could  a  year  be  thus  sac- 
redly observed,  I  believe  under  God  it  would 
secure  the  salvation  of  untold  multitudes,  and 
give  a  new  impetus  to  the  spreading  abroad 
of  the  kingdom  of  God's  dear  Son  over  all  the 
earth.  The  Lord's  people  never  yet  have 
proved  him  by  prayer  as  they  should^  When 
will  the  sacramental  hosts  of  God  come  up  to 
their  duty  in  this  respect? 

And  there  is  an  emergency  on  the  church 
now  that  demands  greater  watchfulness  and 
prayerfulness,  because  of  new  obstacles  that 
have  to  be  met.  During  the  past,  when  the 
church  had  adopted  new  measures,  secured 
better  equipments,  and  thus  been  prepared  for 
a  more  efficient,  aggressive  service,  Satan  has 


90 

set  himself  to  counterect  these  new  agencies. 
Everyone  knows  full  well  that  during-  the 
last  two  or  three  g-enerations  new  methods 
and  new  machinery  have  been  employed  in 
the  Lord's  work,  and  this  has  been  a  period 
of  wonderful  activity  and  of  surprising-  re- 
sults. But  the  Prince  of  Darkness  has  not 
been  asleep  in  the  meantime,  nor  has  he 
given  up  the  cause  as  lost.  He  has  set  up 
new  eng-ines,  adopted  new  tactics,  and  the 
church  of  today  has  to  face  some  of  the  most 
difficult  problems  and  meet  some  of  the 
g-reatest  obstacles  of  her  entire  history.  If 
she  is  not  girded  with  new  force  she  will  be 
worsted  in  the  contest.  Unless  the  mighty 
power  of  God  undertakes  in  her  behalf  she 
will  enter  the  new  centur}^  in  a  crippled  con- 
dition. Hence  the  providence  of  God  and 
the  welfare  of  the  kingdom  demand  at  pres- 
ent a  higher  standard  of  piety,  a  holier, 
more  consecrated  life,  a  greater  degree  of 
pra3'erfulness.  I  believe  that  through  divine 
grace  Christians  will  meet  this  demand,  and 
that  greater  achievements  await  the  church 
in   the   immediate    future.      But    unless  they 


91 

do  come   up  to    the  occasion  wide-spread  dis- 
aster and  defeat  may  be  expected. 

Yes  the  prospect  is  hopeful,  but  it  will 
be  what  WK  make  it.  Would  that  we  could 
come  up  to  our  possibilities.  There  is  reason 
to  believe  from  the  word  of  God  that  a  time 
is  coming-  when  our  world  shall  receive  a 
most  g-racious  visitation  from  the  presence 
of  the  Lord.  A  time  when  he  will  literally 
"Pour  out  his  Spirit  on  all  flesh,"  when 
upon  all  the  world  around  there  will  be  one 
universal  revival.  Millions  upon  millions  will 
turn  to  the  Lord,  and  "Nations  will  be  born 
in  a  day."  But  we  can  be  assured  that  that 
day  will  not  come  until  a  corresponding-  vol- 
ume of  prayer  ascends  for  that  wonderful 
blessing-.  It  is  perhaps  within  bounds  to 
assert  that  the  Christians  of  the  present  g-en- 
eration  could  bring-  about  this  g-lorious  time, 
and  secure  these  wonderful  results.  Breth- 
ren shall  we  do  what  we  can  to  bring-  this 
about?  Do  we  really  desire  that  all  the 
^'ends  of  the  earth  should  turn  to  the  Lord?" 
And  are  we  willing-  to  pay  our  part  of  the 
price? 


92 

I  must  speak  these  burning-  words.  They 
have  been  on  mj  heart  for  years.  I  have 
also  been  trying-  in  my  humble  way  to  observe 
this  importunity  in  prayer.  And  I  entreat 
ministers  to  dwell  more  earnestly  on  the  duty 
of  prayer,  and  to  try  and  induce  their  people 
to  plead  more  importunately  for  the  enlarge- 
ment of  Zion.  I  do  entreat  every  child  of 
God  who  reads  these  pag-es,  for  the  sake  of 
the  precious  Christ  who  redeemed  you,  and 
for  the  sake  of  dying-  men,  cry  unto  God 
with  brokenness  of  heart  for  the  building-  up 
of  his  king-dom  and  for  the  salvation  of 
the  lost.  Wrestle  mig-htily  in  prayer  for 
the  prosperity  of  the  church,  and  for  the 
eternal  welfare  of  the  perishing-.  And  don't 
let  your  g-oodness  be  "As  the  morning- 
cloud,  and  as  the  early  dew,"  but  persevere  in 
prayer. 

Shall  the  g-reat  multitudes  g-o  on  to  ruin 
and  the  love  of  Christ  and  the  souls  of 
men  not  impel  us  to  plead  for  their  salva- 
tion? Oh  that  the  "Spirit  of  g-race  and 
of  supplication"  may  be  poured  out  more 
richly   upon  all    God's   dear  people,    so    that 


93 

they   may   cry   more  eariiestl}^    more   impor- 
tunately "Thy  king-dom  come." 


"Kve:n   So  Comk  Lord  Jksus." 


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